Biography:Herman Branover

From HandWiki
Short description: Russian-Israeli physicist (1931–2026)
Branover in the 1970s

Herman Branover (Hebrew: ירמיהו ברנובר, Russian: Герман Брановер; 13 December 1931 – 4 May 2026) was a Soviet-Israeli physicist and Jewish educator. He is best known in the Jewish world as an author, translator, publisher and educator. Branover is known in the scientific community as a pioneer in the field of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD).[1] In his personal conduct, he adhered to the customs and mystical philosophy of Chabad Hasidism.[2]

Life and career

Early life and education

Template:Chabad (Rebbes and Chasidim) Branover was born in Riga, Latvia, into an atheist Jewish family. His father was killed in World War II by the withdrawing Red Army, but his mother managed to escape with him to Russia and survive. He earned his Ph.D. from the Moscow Aviation Institute specializing in magnetohydrodynamics, and completed a D.Sc. degree in physics and mathematics at the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute. Concurrently, he spent a substantial part of his time in the National Library of Russia where he learned Hebrew from whatever books he could find there. After finishing his studies in Saint Petersburg he returned to Riga and started working in several scientific institutions while also making inroads into the Chabad movement. When he had first applied for a permission to immigrate to Israel in 1969 or 1970[3], he lost his academic job.

As a young scientist in Riga, Branover wrote philosophical essays questioning atheism, materialism, and determinism and seeking God. During his time in the USSR after becoming associated with Chabad, he initiated and directed a great number of activities advancing Jewish education and culture; he was among the initiators of the Jewish revival movement in Soviet Russia. He learned Hebrew secretly at great peril while a student in Leningrad. Being a Refusenik, he underwent frequent arrests, interrogations, and harassment by the KGB. This did not stop him from teaching Jewish thought and ethics to many individuals and groups. In the end of 1972, Branover received an exit visa to go to Israel.[3] Branover was the first Jew holding a Doctor of Science degree and the title of Full Professor to receive an exit visa to leave the USSR.

Scientific achievements

Upon his arrival in Israel, Branover became a professor at the Ben-Gurion University. There, in 1977, he founded the Center for Magneto-hydrodynamics Studies, which included a laboratory for the research of magneto-hydrodynamics. He obtained funding for the laboratory through a chance meeting at a lecture he delivered with representatives from the Office of Naval Research. He credits the Lubavitcher Rebbe for encouraging him to accept the speaking invitation.[3]

In 1980, Branover developed a method through which electricity could be produced through the heating of liquid mercury through a magnet.[4] His innovation was that the electrical field could be produced at relatively low temperatures. In 1984 he created a working model for his innovative electrical source.[5]

Activism for Russian Jews

Besides for his scientific achievements, Branover also engaged in activism to support Russian Jews in the Soviet Union and later emigrants.[3] He chaired the SHAMIR Association of Religious Professionals from the USSR and served as editor-in-chief of its publishing house which printed over 400 books of Torah literature in Russian.[6][3] The SHAMIR office in Jerusalem runs a free employment placement service for immigrants.


In 1987 Branover founded SATEC, which started out as a technological business incubator, soon after focusing on the development and manufacturing of power metering solutions, such as power meters and power quality analyzers. This move was inspired[7] by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, who predicted an influx of Jewish immigration from the Soviet Union, following Perestroika. His aim was to create jobs in a fitting technological environment for these immigrants,[8] many of them holding advanced scientific degrees and in-depth technological experience.

In 1991, the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences invited Branover to supervise its 8-volume Encyclopedia of Russian Jewry. Covering 1000 years, the encyclopedia details the contribution of Jews to Russian and world civilization. The late Sir Isaiah Berlin of Oxford was the first chief consultant of the encyclopedia, and the Israeli Ministry of Education helps support the project. Three volumes have been printed in Russian. An English translation of Volume One was published in 1998 by Jason Aronson Publishers in the U.S., and a children's version is planned.[2]

Personal life

Branover was a dedicated Hasid of Menachem M. Schneerson, following his directives and asking him for guidance. Many of his achievements were encouraged by Schneerson, including his founding of SHAMIR for supporting Russian Jewish Academics and printing Russian Jewish literature, and his founding of SATEC for the purpose of employing Russian Jewish immigrants.[3]

Branover was married to Fania Branover who died in 2012.

His child is Daniel Branover.

Branover died on 4 May 2026, at the age of 94.[9]

Works

  • His early philosophical manuscripts were secretly reproduced and smuggled out of the USSR to Israel and published there in Russian and Hebrew by the Israeli Ministry of Education.[2]
  • While in the USSR, Branover undertook to translate some of the fundamental works of Judaism into Russian. He has continued this work in Israel through SHAMIR, where he has organized and trained a team of translators and editors to complete and expand his work, which includes most importantly the Pentateuch with commentaries, the Code of Jewish Law, and writings of Maimonides and Yehuda Halevy. Over 12 million copies of 400 titles of Russian-language Judaica have been published by SHAMIR.[2]
  • Branover's autobiography "Return", including De Profundis, a collection of his early philosophical essays has been published in Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, Hebrew and English.[2]
  • Branover founded the periodical "B’Or Ha’Torah" in 1981. It was founded at the urging of the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, who gave the periodical its name. The publication allows distinguished scientists – initially those close to the Rebbi – to bring their discussions of contradictions between Torah and science to a wider audience. Out of its 97 authors, 28 are Chabad Hasidim and 69 are not. Most of the referees are not affiliated with Chabad.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ruby, Daniel (November 1982). "Rooftop MHD: On-site electricity from low-grade heat". Popular Science 221 (5): 64–66. https://books.google.com/books?id=75dRYTqixzYC&q=%22herman+branover%22&pg=PA64. Retrieved 1 October 2012. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Branover, Yermiyahu (Herman). "B'or Ha'torah". Archived from the original on February 24, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120224182926/http://www.borhatorah.org/home/branover/branover.html. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Dalfin, Chaim. "An Interview With Professor Herman Branover OBM". JEP Press. https://crownheights.info/chabad-news/945686/an-interview-with-professor-herman-branover-obm/. 
  4. ↑ Shipler, David K. (6 March 1981). "SCIENTISTS SAY FUTURE IS IN SOLAR ENERGY". New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/1981/03/06/business/scientists-say-future-is-in-solar-energy.html. 
  5. ↑ "Soviet Born Israeli Scientist Develops Unique Electrical Power Plant That Has No Moving Parts". Daily News Bulletin. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 6 April 1984. https://www.jta.org/archive/soviet-born-israeli-scientist-develops-unique-electrical-power-plant-that-has-no-moving-parts. 
  6. ↑ See http://shamirbooks.org.il/main.htm
  7. ↑ "Laser Vision" (in en). https://www.chabad.org/therebbe/article_cdo/aid/4175303/jewish/Laser-Vision.htm. 
  8. ↑ Sun-Sentinel, ELEANOR SHAPIRO, Special to the (20 May 1990). "IMMIGRATION OF SOVIET JEWS CAUSES UNEASE AMONG ISRAELIS" (in en-US). https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1990-05-20-9001090249-story.html. 
  9. ↑ "BDE: Professor Herman Branover, 94, OBM" (in en). 2026-05-04. https://crownheights.info/chabad-news/945532/bde-professor-herman-branover-94-obm/. 



Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Biography:Herman_Branover&oldid=4406104"