Talpiot program

Talpiot program is an elite Israeli Defense Forces training program for young people who have demonstrated outstanding academic ability in the sciences, physics and mathematics. Graduates of the Talpiot program pursue higher education prior to serving in the army, and then utilize their expertise to further IDF research and development. The program was inaugurated in 1979.Wall Street Journal]

History

The initiators of the program were Professor Felix Dothan and Professor Shaul Yatziv of the Hebrew University, who submitted the idea to the Israeli chief of staff Rafael Eitan. The idea was to harness human creativity, which peaks early, to develop new technologies for the army. The program is sponsored by the IAF and IDF division for the development of weapons and technological infrastructure, and run under the auspices of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Program

During their initiation period, the cadets study for their B.Sc. in Physics and Mathematics (some of them Computer Science – according to their choice) at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem in Air Force uniform, while also undergoing different periods of field training designed to familiarize them with all branches of the IDF (infantry level 05 basic training, parachuting course, combat engineering course, instruction in military tactics etc). At the end of the course which lasts 40 months the cadets receive a rank of first lieutenant (Segen) and the B.Sc. and become integrated in the R&D in the IDF and Israeli military industries, or alternatively, in various combat positions if they so choose.

The service includes half a year of additional compulsory service and 5.5 years of standing army service in a wide variety of positions. The total program, including military service, is nine years.

The first class had 25 cadets. Later, the class was increased to 50. The applicant pool consists of nearly ten thousand top scorers of a test taken by all graduating high school seniors. 150-200 potential applicants are then subjected to a two-day series of tests. These include further IQ exams as well as group-tasks designed to test one's social dynamics, all conducted under the supervision of trained psychologists and military personnel. For example, teams of applicants are given a specific task then the instructions are changed while the test is in progress, such as shortening the alloted time or changing the assigned tasks. Final applicants appear before a panel of professors, military leaders, and other examiners where they are asked questions such as to explain the theory of relativity or mechanisms of solar heating.. Final acceptance into the program entails a high security clearance rating, given by the Air Force.

In recent years the IDF received serious criticism over the dropping number of Talpiot graduates ("Talpionim") who continue to serve in the army beyond the required 9 years, as they are encouraged to do. Statistics show that nearly all leave in order to take on jobs in the free market, where they are sought after by hi-tech companies from around the world. (Citation Needed)

Talpiot graduates ("Talpionim")

* Abraham (Avi) Loeb, American/Israeli theoretical physicist at Harvard University
* Yoav Freund, professor at the University of California, San Diego, and Gödel Prize winner
* Shlomo Dubnov, composer and researcher, professor at the University of California, San Diego
* Arik Czerniak, one of the founders of Metacafe, a Palo Alto company that has user posted videos.
* Marius Nacht, one of the co-founders of Check Point Software Technologies
* Amit Klein, web security expert and CTO of Trusteer, Ltd, a consumer transaction security company.

External links

* [http://800ceoread.com/excerpts/archives/cat_spies_inc_by_stacy_perman.html The beginning of Talpiot]
* [http://henwood.blogspace.com/?p=6863 Israeli tech & Talpiot] ,Wall Street Journal - July 6, 2007

References

Secret Weapon: How an Elite Military School Feeds Israel's Tech Industry, Wall Street Journal, Vol. CCL, No. 4, July 6, 2007.