The Interdisciplinary Center for Neural Computation

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Condolence Page for Professor Daniel J. Amit


1938-2007

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing away of Professor Daniel Amit of blessed memory. A member of the Racah Institute of Physics, Amit was among the founders of the vision of multidisciplinary approach to brain research. He participated in drafting the blueprints for the ICNC, was among its builders and was one of the first teachers of its Ph.D. program.

Daniel was a senior partner to Hanoch Gutfreund and myself in our journey from Statistical Mechanics to Neuroscience. He inspired many physicists in Israel and abroad to study the brain. His works are milestones in Neural Network Theory.

On a personal level - I am deeply indebted to Dani for initiating my move to the Hebrew University when he served as the Chairperson of the Racah Institute of Physics.

Dani was a friend, a colleague, a scientist, and a unique human being.

Dani led so many of us, students and colleagues alike, on an amazing journey from physics to neuroscience research and, in doing so, changed our lives. He led us, as in everything he did, with extraordinary passion. We must now proceed without the fierce prodding of his curiosity and guidance of his vision, and without the joy of sharing with him the thrill of new discoveries.

Although we did not meet often, each meeting generated strong memories. My own excitement, and a little nervousness, at first encountering the author of pioneering papers and a formidable textbook. Dani's enthusiastic accounts of everything Italian. His profound excitement about science, especially as he crossed the threshold from pure theory to collaborating with experimentalists. His great personal warmth, and the welcome he extended to me and to my family on visits to Rome. A marvelous account of the Palestinian stone workers building a staircase at his home in Israel. Wonderful meals in Rome, and even one in Princeton.

Dani had an exquisite sense of what is, as the French would say, amusing about our fellow human beings. He could also laugh at himself, and help us to do the same. It's hard to describe the moment where he interrupted a seemingly serious, but perhaps slightly pompous, political discussion to intone "We, on the Left ... , " but he did it to marvelous effect. Crucially, Dani's ability to recognize the humor of everyday life was combined with an inability to ignore its tragedies.

On my first extended visit to Jerusalem, I spent a month in Dani's office while he was in Rome. I sat every day surrounded by his books, his posters, tangible reminders of his scientific and social passions. I had been looking forward to seeing Dani in Rome this spring, but once again there will be only reminders. As he shaped the language that we use in thinking about the dynamics of memory itself, he helped to shape my memories of the two great cities that he called home.

I met Dani in 1985 when I went to Jerusalem to do my PhD with him. At that time he was the Chairperson of the Racah Institute of Physics. Despite his duties he always found time not only to discuss physics but also to help me to start my new stay in Jerusalem. We worked together almost one year on common aspects of neural networks and disordered systems. Then our interests began to diverge. Despite of this he was always ready to discuss any problem I had during all my PhD studies.

After my PhD studies I met again Dani in Rome, where both of us finally ended. This gave me the opportunity to become his friend and not only his student.

I am personal indebted to Dani for all the time he spent with me and for all I could learn from him.

With his death we are loosing a friend, a scientist and a unique person.

I deeply regret the loss of Daniel Amit, great scientist, admired teacher and my friend.Among many memories, I shall never forget a visit in Jerusalem, where he was generous with his time, walking me around and talking of science of history,of justice and peace.

Living and working in close quarters with Dani at the Racah Institute in Jerusalem forced me(and many others) to face time and again basic problems in life and in physics. Facing was the first stage, the need to clarify, base and finaly state my position in his presence followed.

Dani influenced many of the decisions I made. I am indebted for this, for his loyal friendship and for the example he set.
I miss him dearly.

Dani had a great regard for all human beings and also the courage to stand apart, if need be, for his convictions. The world was a better place with him.

Dani Amit was a real character - not always an easy one - but always an original and very interesting one. Very opinionated he was and very passionate, for both science and politics, and with human relationship. I have a deep respect for his totality - for his devotion to what he believed in. I wish that there were many like him.

I remember that when Dani was convinced of an idea of his, he used to say with a certain smile, "but the brain MUST work like this". When he gave a talk on working memory in Zurich in the late 90th he said towards the end of the talk "remember that I am here to please you" - thus acknowledging that the human condition is both serious and absurd.

Dani's (by now classical) book "Modeling Brain Function" (1989) was, for me, the first comprehensive introduction to the way physicists view dynamical systems and a whole new way for me to think about the brain. His openness to learn biology, from synapses to cortex to cognition, was very impressive. I often saw him, as I did a week ago, sitting with Shaul Hochstein and Udi Zohary in their office near mine, discussing together for hours how to formalize the biological problem at hand in a way that only physicists know to do.

For me Dani and the ICNC are one - he was a critical founder of it, he envisioned it, and he pushed for it successfully. He thus created a model not only for the brain, but also for how modern brain centers should be - having a strong theoretical component as an integral part of brain research. Indeed, in some fundamental sense, Dani is in every one of the modern brain centers worldwide, all have implemented this essential experimental-theoretical brain-balance.

I will remember Dani with a smile and with sadness, and with admiration for what he decided to be and for what he was.

Daniel Amit had a profound influence on my scientific interests and he convinced me to join the ICNC. I learned from him about a fascinating topic and also about scientific integrity. I met him a few days ago on campus and we decided we should meet promptly. He was a friend.

I got with sorrow and incredulity the unexpected news of the Daniel Amit disappearance yesterday, on the 6th November. Just arriving from Israel yesterday. I am a little surprised for the silence in most Israel and Italian Media.

I note that the date for his departure from this life (in our unhappy and worried epoch) is the 4th November, the day of Izhack Rabin killing 12 years ago. A dark date for peace making in our epoch.

I imagine that the coincidence is not casual at all: Rabin (in a different , more patriotic life roadmap ) was deeply committed to peace. Maybe Daniel life and departure is reminding in a more desperate way to all of us the need of such an heroic sacrifice for the sake of peace effort. In this view may Rabin and now Daniel death underline the courage of peace makers giving all for a Shalom dream.

Lamentamentamos profundamente la muerte de Daniel Amit.

I met Dani as a young undergraduate student in Rome and I wrote my second paper with him. Though after that I only had the occasion to meet him rarely in Rome, he has been a constant example for me for his double investment in Politics and Science.

Our course in Neural Network Theory with Dani Amit was one of my formative experiences as a young neuroscientist. There were many lessons learned, some gentle and some less so, but more than all I will remember Dani Amit's conviction that it was possible to understand the brain and describe it's working. His passion is something that I will always strive to emulate.

Dani was my teacher, mentor and dear colleague. He taught the first course I took in Thermodynamics in 1974, when I was still in the army following the Yom Kippur war. The oral exam he gave me during one of my short 48 hours vacations from the army turned into a fascinating discussion on the role of classical thermodynamics in modern physics, a discussion that had tremendous influence on my scientific development.

Later on I was stimulated by his field theory book and course, and by his pioneering vision in linking statistical physics with biology. He paved the way for the ICNC at the Hebrew University, and was one of the reasons I came back to Jerusalem. His strong character, personal courage, integrity and leadership, inspired a whole generation of friends and scientists. We will all miss him.

Why???

It makes me very sad to know that Daniel has disappeared. I can hardly accept even the idea that I will not meet him again and that we will be forced to interrupt the dialogue, that has beeing going on for many years and that was one of the gratest pleasure for me, from the emotional and intellectual point of view.

Daniel Amit
It is uncommon that friendships start and develop between people in old age. Nevertheless this has been the case between Daniel and myself (or, better, between Daniel and Dalia and me and Sigrid, my wife). I consider myself lucky for having met Dani and for having enjoyed his friendship and the, usually polemic, conversations). He helped me in developing a new view on some important facts of the passed century I had only read about, while he had lived them personally: the tragedy of the Second World War and the history of the Israelian state (with the related Palestinian and Jewish tragedies). And Dani had a tragic view of those events, particularly of the more recent ones .

I knew little of his scientific work. Of course, as anyone else, I knew that he had given (and was still giving) important scientific contributions, but we hardly discussed about that. We talked of policy of science, of politics in general and -of course- of the Palestine - Israel question. I did not dare to agree with him (I found it un-appropriate for a gohim): his views on the question seemed too radical to me. And he criticised me for that cautious (or a little bit coward) attitude with his usual irony. I felt that he was right, for his personal story, in saying what he was saying, in writing what he was writing and in thinking what he was thinking. But those same words -if told by myself- would have had a quite different meaning. This ongoing debate is what I miss more than anything else. But I also miss the conversations on literature and his cultivated comments. He, and of course Dalia, had great readings. Dani had little enthusiasm for some Israeli writers that I liked. And - as his judgement on these matters was very important for me - I was relieved to see that he had 'approved' Amos Oz's (another invented name, just like Amit) book "A tale of love and darkness", a book that had made me think of him.

Daniel could be bitter and aggressive. But he had some kind of a child's sweetness, which was able to win over his underlying sorrow. Alas, this time the sorrow has won.

Daniel Amit was a special human being. As a Palestinian, I am grateful to Dani for having taught me since my early childhood that Israelis and Palestinians are not enemies but brothers.He was a family friend, the first Israeli I met and the first Israeli to spend time with us in our home in Rome. Thanks to him, today I have many Israeli friends. Yes, Dani, the long conflict between our peoples is something impossible to accept and it is because of your big heart and sensitivity that it hurt you so much. I wish you were still here to show the world that we are brothers......

you will always be in our hearts and what you have done will stay forever.

From our family, love to you and to your family.
Rania, Nemer, Ghada, & Majd Hammad and Matthew.

He was kind to everybody. Among unforgettable moments together: a scientific meeting in Lisbon early 90's and several discussions with a student of Florence University (Italy) whom only him and myself considered valuable.

I have been very stiken by the notice of his death, as he still was young and of fruitful mind. After having had a short period during which I devided with him an office in the department, I always met him everytime a puplic manifestation for peace was necessary. I remember his strong engagement and passion for promotion of a movement for peace in the University, against the Bush's war in Iraq. I am very surprised his death had no press sonority.

I was working with Dani in the last seven years, initially as a student, and then as a collaborator.

Apart my family, he was the most important person of my life. I was always angry with him: he was constantly and aggressively criticizing all my tentatives, all my efforts to develop and defend an idea, to become scientifically independent.

I learned to trust in myself and to criticize. On the other hand, outside the lab, he was so nice and funny that i didn't lose any occasion to go to lunch or dinner with him, with the same enthusiasm as when i go out with my best friends.

Now that he has passed away, i'm left with this paradox, the most active person that i have ever met has taken his own life. For the last time, he knocked us down and no response was possible.

Dani,an exquisite human being,a wonderful friend,an example of courage in the fight against injustice,and of coherence between words and deeds. Dani,we already miss you.

Dani was an exceptional scientist, however it was even more important to us as a friend and as an example: we were deeply impressed by the ironic smile in his light blue eyes, his intolerance toward any injustice and by his constancy in fighting it, never giving up in spite of the inadequacy of our forces and the growing sense of inutility.

Even when we didn't meet for long time, we knew that somewhere in the world there was a person like him and this allowed us to hope in the future of human beings. Without him everything will be more difficult, but if a person like him was born, there is still hope for mankind.

I never had the opportunity to meet Daniel Amit in person, but I knew about his personality through some common friends. His work had a strong influence in me, in particular when I started my Ph.D. studies. The Next year we had planned to start a research colaboration through my Ph.D. student. I was very sad when I heard this bad news.

When I arrived in Jerusalem, in 1985, it was not to do a PhD with him, but still Daniel immediately became my reference point, one of those facts that seem so self-evident as to require no analysis or demonstration. He and Dahlia took to inviting me to their home for Friday evening, and Dani gave me a little side-project, as a respite from breaking my head on string theory papers I did really understand. By the time I had to return to Italy to serve in the army, I had formed such a clear impression of Dani, of what he might say or of how he might react, that it led me through that de-motivating passage and back to science; to a new science that he had the intuition to see beyond the barriers of language and mental habits. The year at the IAS, 1987-1988, was the only one we spent in the daily contact of a PhD student with the supervisor, but Dani continued to be my guide when he moved abroad, and later, when I had finished my PhD. Words he had said at one moment or an other continued to reverberate on disparate occasions, acquiring new significance in different contexts.

I found his enthusiasm for things Italian amusing and entirely unjustified, but refrained from discussing it, aware that I had benefited from it myself. When two or three minor misunderstandings turned him cold towards me, I did not attribute that to my having offended him, which perhaps I did, rather I took it as a necessary second phase of his guidance, one that expressed itself through years of silence. It was my chance to elaborate and reinterpret. The second phase will continue. I regret it.

The shared image of Daniel Amit that emerges from the messages tells the trace he left in the minds, souls and lives of all who knew him. He left an enduring trace also in my life, together with the memory, and example, of uncompromising intellectual and moral integrity.

I was terribly shocked by the sudden death of Daniel Amit.
My research on Neural Networks started from the his brilliant solution of the Hopfield model.
His contribution to the society has been fundamental not only in science but also in politics. He was very active for the peace process and democratic solution of the Palestinian-Israelian dramatic conflict and in general for defending the human and political rights.
Thus we all will feel very much his absence from this world.

I met Dani Amit at the critical crossroads in my life, and found a very special friend and a teacher.
It is from him that I learned that science is much more than just equations, and that there are infinitely many ways you can love your friends and your country. And that it is possible to always stay your path, no matter how much it is against the common opinion of people around you.

My relations with him were a long and exciting path towards understanding this amazingly complex and contradictory personality, but despite some occasional insights, he always was, and unfortunately now, will forever remain a great enigma to me. My last meeting with him, wich was also one of the most rewarding, happened just 3 days before he left us, and not only nothing betrayed the tragic decision that apparently ripened in his soul already, but he again managed to amuse and surprise me with his stories. I was looking forward so much to see him again next week... Only now I can really appreciate how much I loved him, and how much he mattered for me. I dont believe I will ever meet anybody like Dani again.

The Israel Society for Neurosciences

Mourns the passing of its dedicated member

Professor Daniel Amit

of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

I met Daniel for the first time in 1992, when I moved to Rome to work with him for the last 18 months of my PhD. Meeting Daniel completely changed my life. In fact, I am not sure I would be a scientist now if I had not met him. He managed to transmit me a passion and enthusiasm for science that I have seen in few other people. Looking back at those years in Rome, it is hard not to be impressed by the coherence, strength, and vision of his research program, that had a tremendous influence on my own research ever since.

I will miss him enormously - as a scientific father, and as a friend.

My last encounter with Daniel was two years ago, and it left me widely unprepared to the prospect that I would no longer see him.

In the midst of my persistent confusion, one sentence re-emerged recently: "Nur um der Hoffnunglosen willen ist uns die Hoffnung gegeben" only through those who have lost hope, will hope be given back to us (Walter Benjamin).

Sure, Dani knew this sentence, if only through the emphasis Marcuse gave to it.

Danny's passing away is a great loss. He was a person of great integrity as a scientist and as a human being, doing what he believed in, without fail. As a scientist, he was a fine example of a first-rate physicist using applying his physics insights to neurobiology. My deep condolences to his family, especially to Yali.

You were such a part of our life for more than thirty years. We miss you, your passion, and your strong opinions which it was such a pleasure to fight against as often as to agree with.

Mit welchen worte/das Namenlose/nennen?

Dani was a profoundly loyal friend who was very dear and very close to us. We shall deeply and sorely miss his passion, his integrity, his sharp wit, his intelligence, and his human warmth.

So many memories of Dani are crowding my mind in these days... I met him in 1991 when he started his Italian adventure, and I started my adventure in science. He was my mentor for almost a decade and he, more than anyone else, taught me how to do science. He was a rare combination of pragmatism and idealism. His principles and an uncompromising passion dictated which goals to achieve, in science and in life. His pragmatism, his strength, his devotion, his rigorous approach to every problem guided him in achieving his goals in an incredibly efficient and direct way, with no hesitation, no distraction, no regret.

His formidable humanity was in every act of his life, in his way of speaking, in his way of doing science. His love for idiomatic expression and sayings of the many languages that he spoke was just one of the many expressions of his ardent interest for every aspect of human culture. He always had original, smart and interesting opinions about the movies of Pasolini and Fellini (Lo sceicco bianco!), the books by Calvino and Saramago, the music of Palestrina, the dressing style of Bertinotti, the nut sauce for the pasta. And he communicated them with great excitement, assertiveness, and with incredible clarity.

I wish I could continue to talk to him, to discuss ideas, to do science with him, to have humus together at his favorite place. I'm consoled by the certainty that what he taught me will always be inside me, in my work and in my soul.

Please accept condolences from Kevan Martin, Richard Hahnloser and me; together with the Institute of Neuroinformatics at Zurich.

I did not know Dani well, but felt his pervasive presence in our field.

Dani was one of the first visitors to INI. And also the our only speaker to stop abruptly in (nearly) mid sentence, and mid-lecture, and rush to the door with a laugh -- having realized while he was speaking that his plane was leaving earlier than he had thought!!

Shocked... Just received this painful news... Dani, the closest friend I have ever known, guiding conscience of my youthful years, is gone... Hard to accept... Walking deep in all these memories that will never leave me, searching for meaning and purpose, all I can see now is his ever-challenging smile.

Dani was a very good friend for the past 47 years. I loved him. I shall miss him. I shall miss our daily interesting, challenging, conversations. His death leaves a hole in my life.

Daniel had the sensibility of a poet and the severity of a scientist. This makes him a unique person able to feel and understand where most of others cannot.

His smile was a window on his deepness and richness, a smile that was a sad and ironic feeling smiled.

Knowing Daniel has been of the most important happenstance of my life. I met him too many years ago, probably around '91 or '92, I was a student from Florence University, I asked him to do my thesis on neural network, he didn't ask anything about me, he just gave me a problem, intermittently in the years after we continued in being in contact with very long silences in between.

During those years I solved the initial problem gave to me, and finally working together with Nicolas Brunel, another unique person, we published the results.

Nevertheless I have never discussed my thesis, I never took my university degree, Daniel during all these years tried to encourage me in taking this sliding door of scientific career. But I didn't. My love, my respect for the science was too big, and feeling myself not being equal to this task I was not able to live it.

In the last years I had no more contacts with him and now it is extremely difficult to accept that is no more possible to meet Daniel.

Daniel Amit was both a colleague and a friend. Even before I met him in person we had corresponded, and argued, about a science topic that we had both worked on. Since then, we have talked and collaborated and argued about many things, but always as good personal friends. Dani's politics never interfered with his basic friendliness and kindness and humanity. His passing away is a great loss for us all.

The terrible news of the death of Daniel reached me in the middle of a long trip. Only now that I am back and I see his office (next to mine) dark and empty I fully realize that I will not see him any more.

Many memories come to the mind. Daniel was unique in many ways both as an exceptional scientist and as a human being. His loss will deprive us from the challenging confrontation with a very original mind and an ever surprising character, mild and provocative at the same time.

I remember the period we tried to get him in Rome. I was following his file at the ministry and I had to explain him all the bizantinism of the italian bureaucracy. His reaction was of amusement and he could find a humoristic side even in the most crazy situations. Then I remember how happy I was when the procedure finally worked and we could have him as a colleague. The vicinity of our offices led to infinite discussions on all topics, science, politics and sport. His opinions and his vitality added a strong element of biodiversity in a panorama which is often too homogeneous. Even when I disagreed with him I always found his view fresh and stimulating.

In the last years I noticed a certain tiredness in him and I wonder in which way one might have realized how difficult his situation was becoming. This leaves me with a feeling of responsibility that may be we could have done more to help him.

I hope you forgive us. Ciao Daniel.

I talked to Dani just before we left for the United States. He was cheerful in a good mood and as always with his good sense of humor. His passing away has been a shock to me and a great loss for the physics community.

Although I did not contact with Dani quite often, from the first our meeting and on he impressed me as a bright scientist and a very nice person. I am really sorry that he passed away so early.

Dani's warm and protective reception is one of my dear memories from my first steps at the Hebrew Universiry. He then escorted my way there with much support whenever needed. I owe him very much. Talking science as well as other subjects with him always opened original and refreshing points of view. I will miss him very much.

Daniel Amit - the man and the scientist - has undertaken two missions which he pursued throughout his life with conviction, perseverance and passion: to promote the understanding of the world through scientific research and to make it a better place to live in.
I do not know how frustrated he must have been for succeeding much better in the first mission than in the second.

During the last phase of his scientific career, which lasted for about twenty years, he was a key player in the development of the computational paradigm in neuroscience. A few days before leaving us, he gave me a manuscript that he just completed, on the computational approach to learning vs. the attempts to study learning by reduction to the molecular level. We agreed to discuss it a few days later. I was looking forward to it and I regret that it will never happen.

Dani was not a simple person and relationship with him was not always simple. Yet, it was always rewarding, thought provoking and mostly pleasant. I owe him a lot and I already miss him.

Dear Dalia and Family,

We share your deep grief losing dear Daniel.

Rivka and Israel Nowik

Friday before Danny's passing I had exchanged some words with him. Nothing like this to drive home the sudden nature of our loss. When in Jerusalem Danny sat in the office just across the corridor from mine. Inevitably the comings and goings of either of us would lead to chat or small talk. Not deep physics talk here; there is a great gulf between neural computation science and gravitation theory. But Danny's eternal good humor and great personal charm made for easy and pleasant interaction. On Fridays - when many in Israel take off from work - it often seemed as if we two were the only people in the physics building. And if I arrived a little late, he would put on a serious face and ask, "did you bring written permission to be late ?". All of the sudden those nice interludes from work are a thing of the past. With other facets of Danny they are relegated to memories, but such memories will be held for very long.

To Daniel I owe what I believe to be the most important lesson I learnt since the beginning of my research activity, when he was my thesis professor in Rome: science is passion, is feeling and often irrationality is an essential ingredient and not something to avoid. Now sadness is stronger thinking about all things never said waiting for better days.

Daniel is not with us anymore. And I am thinking so much about him now, missing so many small things, that will not come back.

One moment is a precise moment, and in these last very sad days it has been coming back and back to my mind. It is us in Jerusalem in 1982, me a young starting researcher, Daniel a well known academician, me completely happy in being in Jerusalem for doing physics, something so exciting that I could not even have hoped a few months before.

And one day we were arrested, Daniel and me, because there was a pacifist demonstration, and we went, and Daniel was, as usual, prominent in defending the constitutional rights of the students that had organized the demonstration: and I was following Daniel, because no doubts, that was my side. And we were kept in a small police truck, alone, the two of us with a policeman. And the moment I remember so vividly is when, maybe after ten minutes in the truck, in a silence with some tension building in it, we started discussing physics. And I felt free, and we discussed interesting problems, and I felt that we were doing something really wonderful (physics) while doing something deeply honest (the demonstration that got us arrested).

Ciao Daniel, and, yes, I want to tell you, so that I can feel I am still talking to you: "che la terra ti sia leggera". Really.

The light is never dead,
open your eyes and see!
our eyes choose what to look upon
our conscioussness, at every moment-
what to project into the lumious,
vibrant, pregnant void of infinite possibilities,
open your eyes and see!
choose, every moment
to focus on light
to project light
to let Divine light, warmth and life
flow throuh you freely.
to let Divine love, wisdom and truth
inspire your actions.

Daniel's daughter.

I'd like to try to answer Maya's question. Our dear friend Dani fell on his sword, and we ask ourselves why. Falling on one's sword is an act of the defeated, so it stands to reason that Dani did it because he felt defeated. Was this feeling justified, was he really defeated? It is this book of condolences which clearly proves that he was not. Only by falling on his sword did Dani succeed in demonstrating that there was no reason to do so. This, I guess, is what is meant by tragedy. And so we say: Good night, sweet prince.

I met Dani almost 40 years ago, as my thesis advisor at Brandeis in 1969, and ever since he has been an important presence in my life. He set the standards high, both as a scientist and as a man. Struggling to keep up with him has been very hard, quite often impossible, but always extremely beneficial.

His uncompromised attitudes went together with the deep friendship and the most warm hospitality he and Dahlia offered me in so many occasions. I owe him a lot and I miss him a lot.

The loss of Daniel Amit has strikened me giving a sensation of a missed opportunity, of a missed something toward him. We were Colleagues, we shared a common scientific project, but I was also his physician, trying to help him to overcome something that he considered very severe, and affecting his power to comunicate with others. I am asking myself if I missed the dephts of his self-diagnosis, if I missed signs of a depression masked by his sweet smile and friendly, warm, spontaneous behaviour.

I met Dani at various meetings, and had several interesting and provocative (in the best sense of that word) discussions about the links between theory and experiment. His papers made intriguing reading for experimentalists, and his enthusiastic, even passionate, discussion will be sorely missed. A great loss to the community!

Dani

When I picture Dani
The first thing I see
Is his protruded white and silver
Shiny hair
That I use to help find him in the airport
And his big glasses
Tipped to the edge of his nose
His lips curled downwards
His sight downwards at an article or book
Captured by the words
Or perhaps at a comment of sarcasm
When I picture Dani
I also picture
Him holding me from day 1
To looking up at me
Upon the Bima
Chanting my torah portion away
Or taking me on the ponies
Maybe explaining the complicated ways of the Forum
And most probably buying me a gelato
Most every night in his presence
Reading from Greeks to Calvino
When I picture Dani
I picture him sitting at his computer
Typing a long, complicated and humorous reply
To my long emails
Subjects ranging from olives, to politics, to the balagans,
to accomplishments on both sides of the world
Signed with either LOVEY DUV DUV-INBALUSHKA
Or a Love-1/2 gp
When I picture Dani
I picture a man
A man with such a tender heart
Every time I feel a ray of sunshine splash on me
I know he's sending
Faster then email
His love
The kind of love so strong
I know he really isn't far away at all
No
He finds a comfortable and loved nest
In each of our hearts

The following column by Amira Hass has been published in the italian weekly magazine "Internazionale":
http://www.internazionale.it/firme/articolo.php?id=17519

La scoperta di Daniel
Amira Hass

La prima volta che ci incontrammo io ero una studentessa e lui un giovane professore

Internazionale 718, 8 novembre 2007

Conoscevo il professor Daniel Amit da molto tempo. Non abbastanza, però,da poter pronunciare un discorso d'addio al suo funerale, il 6 novembre a Gerusalemme. L'idea non mi è nemmeno passata per la testa mentre ero lì insieme a un centinaio di persone ad ascoltare gli elogi funebri.

L'ultima volta che avevo incontrato Amit era stato ad aprile, in occasione della seconda conferenza internazionale di Bil'in sulla resistenza contro la costruzione del muro.

Ero arrivata troppo tardi per ascoltare il discorso dell'ex ambasciatore francese Stéphane Hessel, e fu Daniel a riassumermi le sue parole: "Nel confitto tra israeliani e palestinesi, per la prima volta è l'occupato e non l'occupante a essere punito".

Non mi aspettavo di incontrarlo lì . Mi raccontò che si divideva tra le facoltà di fisica delle università di Roma e Gerusalemme. Un po' di tempo prima mi aveva accompagnata a visitare la periferia di Roma: i discorsi sulla storia italiana avevano presto lasciato il posto ai racconti della nostra lotta contro l'occupazione.

La prima volta che ci incontrammo io ero una studentessa e lui un giovane professore. Sono passati 37 anni. Se avessi capito che Daniel si stava avvicinando alla morte, gli avrei detto che quando percorro la strada principale di Ramallah penso spesso a lui: proprio lì, nel 1982, manifestammo insieme contro il governo. I soldati ci dispersero e arrestarono due persone, tra cui Daniel.

Noi rimanemmo lì finché i due non furono rilasciati. Il varco nel muro da cui uscirono esiste ancora oggi. Ma è chiuso. Si trova nel complesso militare che in seguito egrave; diventato il quartier generale di Arafat, la Muqata.

In quanto scienziato famoso Daniel godeva di parecchia libertà: poteva difendere apertamente gli obiettori di coscienza, firmare petizioni, partecipare alle manifestazioni. Con il passare degli anni, però, si è reso conto - come tutti noi - che né la sua immunità né la sua attività servivano a qualcosa. È stata una scoperta devastante.

I met Dani for the first time in 1963, in the elevator of the science building at Brandeis University. Dani was a graduate student and I was pursuing my post doctoral studies. It was the initiation of a close friendship between our families which spanned (with its ups and downs) over more than four decades. It may look strange to most of those who knew Dani, but I do remember our vivid political discussions at the time, with me trying to convince him that the Military Administration of the Israeli Arab communities was inhuman and superfluous, while he considered it a necessary reality... Things changed with time, I gradually shifting to a less romantic approach and Dani, abruptly, all over to the other extreme.

Only now, reading the contributions to this site I realize that I missed some fundamental aspects of Dani's unique personality, primarily: the impact he had on the lives of students, colleagues and friends.

To this I may add all those properties for which I admired Danny: His courage (adopting extreme and personally risky political positions and, in science, making the drastic shift to brain research); his intelligence and his very broad range of interests (mastering the languages and integrating into Italian and Greek cultures); his sharp and cynical sense of humor and his warm approach to people (Dani's letter following the death of our son Yiftach, was one of the most impressing and sincere we received).
And it was courage that allowed him to make his last decision.

Ruthi:
As very close friendships of the past, never fade, this one although it had long lapses, is still in my most treasured memories. Dahlia and I shared hundreds of hours, (both of us fairly young mothers) helping each other with the care of the children and learning from each other about life. As families we also had many hours together. Dani, although he was very young then, already showed strong leadership and determination. It was not always easy, but his sense of humor, used against everybody, including himself, was a terrific contribution to our togetherness.

Later in life we met again, as neighbors in Ein Karem, and shared happy and interesting hours.
For me, beside other things, he was always the left wing torch (a bit too strong for my liking, but still there to follow at least part way). It is still not comprehensible that we will never meet this vital and strong personality again.

Dani made one feel happy to be alive. It was impossible to have an "ordinary" interaction with him: The briefest encounter somehow felt so special that it remains fixed in memory with astonishing vividness. The chance to experience Dani's titanic warmth, generosity, passion, curiosity, energy, and appetite for life was a priceless gift. And the thought of a world without his restless edge, his sharp, roguish wit, his fearless sense of justice, and the wacky adventures that mysteriously unfolded around him is bleak. Can't believe you're gone, man. You were pure magic.

The saddest thing is that Dani gave me the feeling that life was worth living if people like him are around.

Goodbye my dear friend, you will remain in my heart forever.

Dani was a great man who inspired a generation of budding brain scientists to tackle big problems.

He was one of those rare individuals who created the future through his vision and example.

Let us celebrate his achievements.

From what I know of you I had assumed that you were among the ones who would live forever...

Daniel Amit has been my professor during my undergraduate studies at La Sapienza. He is one of the very few who I would call "Master".
I'll never forget that marvellous, sad and deep light in his eyes.

Death hasn't got the last word in this world.

"We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time."

        -"The Four Quartets"-
                                                T.S. Eliot

I'm a new student in Rome, I thank Daniel Amit to have brought his modern knowledge in Rome. I hope that now somebody take the decision to do his teachings so that the students interested in his work cuold have the possibility to continue his studies.

Dani was an extraordinary scientist and a politically engaged citizen with strong feelings about justice and peace. I received his last email on October 31 and every time I walk by his office (http://bio.phys.uniroma1.it/bachelet/dani.jpg) I can't believe that he won't be back in Rome. His last email recommended the development of the area of neural networks in our Department. I hope we can comply with his recommendation and thus honor his memory.

It is with great sorrow that I learnt the passing away of Daniel. He was a dear colleague and friend, from the 1981 days at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton where he lived next door to us (his daughter babysitted our young baby son) to the days of the second Intifada during which we remained in close intellectual and email contact.

Daniel Amit deserves our utmost respect for having consistently chosen as an Israeli the very difficult, the very lonely and courageous path of true uncompromising solidarity with the occupied Palestinian people.

In addition to his academic and scientific stature, which certainly deserves more than the honors he received during his lifetime, his true legacy lies for me in his intellectual integrity that lead to his uncompromising quest for justice. During both Intifadas he tried to resist by all peaceful intellectual means to the crushing of an insurgency by a far superior military force.

Many of us will never forget his example. We shall remember and admire him as a true peacemaker of our time, in the deep sense of the word.

Vincent Rivasseau

Daniel Amit lived a life of noble passion-passion above all for his fellow man, but passion also for the understanding of new science, which he inventively pursued with rigor and complete involvement. Many others built on his excellent science, but in the long run he found it more significant that others would be influenced by his views of how peoples should live together. I have often wondered whether his turning to the physics of neurobiology represented for him a means of escape from physics in the (potential) aid of the instruments of war to a more human-centered physics, a science (potentially) contributing to an understanding of humans and their relationships. Farewell, brave friend.

Dani and I knew each other for about forty years that we spent together at the Physics department of the Hebrew University. But only during the last fifteen years a warm friendship got developed between us. We didn't work together (our field of research were quite different) and I wasn't a partner to his political activity, nor did I share his political philosophy. We were simply just good friends and my wife and I got to spend many pleasant evenings with him and with Dahlia.

Dani had a fascinating and complex personality. On the one hand an intellectual with an impressive analytical mind and on the other hand a person who in many cases was guided by his emotions, which overcame his rational thinking and determined his relations to people and events around him. He was a charming and interesting discussion partner with a sophisticated sense of humor, which at times could be quite cynical and sarcastic. A friendship with Dani was never a simple matter.

Dani followed his conscience who guided his political activity to the end without a compromise. I think that somewhere in the back of his mind he believed that by that activity he helped to create a better world. If he was asked, he would deny it cynically saying that there was no chance for improvement and that all that effort was futile. Asking then why all that effort, he would answer that he couldn't otherwise.

We had many political arguments about the political events around us and around the world, some of which ended angrily and in sharp tones with sarcastic remarks flying on both directions. But somehow it didn't erode our friendship and with time we both realized that apparently neither of us is going to convince the other to convert. During the times that he spent in Israel, we used to meet frequently, many cases in lunchtimes over a plate of humus which he very much liked. He used to say that while in Italy the only thing that he missed was a good plate of humus. But I think that in reality he missed all his friends and the life in Israel with all its complexities and difficulties. Although Dani considered himself as a non-Zionist and a citizen of the world, he was emotionally very much attached to Israel and he was deeply involved and concerned about where we are heading here. Sometimes I would tease him by saying that emotionally he was more a Zionist than I was, a remark that he wouldn't take as a compliment.

During the last couple of years, following some health problems, I would find him in some cases in a depressive mood. Unfortunately I did not understand how serious it was. I had the impression that as a result of his health improvement he had overcome the psychological difficulties. I met him for the last time a few days before his death. We chatted over a cup of coffee and he was in a good mood. I didn't foresee what was to follow.

His death is a real waste and I already miss him.

Few months ago I unexpectedly met Daniel's son, Yali, discovering that we were both giving courses to a same group of students. I sent an email to Daniel telling him how nice it was to live in such a small world. His answer was very friendly, and with words of scientific enthousiasm about the work he was precisely doing with Yali. This quite recent mail was so typical of Daniel's human warmth and vivid passion for science, that the shocking news of his passing away arrived as expected as a counter example to a well establish theorem. It hurts to think that we will never meet again.

Like nobody else, Daniel Amit have inspired most of the statistical physicists making theory in neuroscience.
The reason why, before studying the brain, he was one of the leading theoreticians researching critical phenomena. His prominent reputation acquired during the 70s in quantum field theory and renormalization group convinced to the physics community that the brain could be an intriguing and passionated system to apply statistical mechanics, where many different levels of description should be connected by a theory based on minimal principles.

In the 80s, he and collaborators defined the field of neural networks, rigorous and clever solutions to simple models with complicated properties, i.e. Hopfield nets. Interestingly, memories encoded in synaptic connectivity can be retrieved as an emergent feature at the network level. These attractors of the dynamics formulated 20 years ago, are now underlying state of the art theories of working memory, recognition memory, in particular declarative memory (population dynamics of hippocampal place cells), or even other complex cognitive tasks as decision making.

His visionary and rigorous way of doing science have illuminated most of the neuro-physicisicts in my generation. In turn, his group of co-workers, Haim Sompolinsky, Misha Tsodyks, Alessandro Treves, Nicolas Brunel, Stafano Fusi and many others are nowadays leading researchers in the field.

The first time I met him was on September 2000, during one of the marvelous Granada Seminars on Statistical Physics, whose Director is Prof. J. Marro. His talks about Theory, Simulation and Experiments of Working Memory impressed to the audience, and it was a source of inspiration to start my PhD under the supervision of Prof. J.J. Torres and J. Marro on Statistical Mechanics of recurrent neural networks with activity-dependent synapses. During my thesis I read carefully his book of neural networks modeling and most of his papers, a shot of solving elegantly hard problems.

Theoreticians in neuroscience will never forget the Daniel Amit legacy.

Dani, we miss you. We will always miss you.

Pasternak wrote, quoting a Russian proverb:
To live your life is not as simple as to cross a field.

Dani, beloved friend of fifty years
Lived hard
Worked hard
Played hard
Loved hard
Died hard.
We, the living, remain with great sadness and too many questions.

The first Friday of my stay in Rome, more than ten years ago, Daniel dropped by my office. It was early in a sunny afternoon and he proposed to stop working and go together for a walk and a glass of wine to the city center. I was a young post-doc and was extremely flattered by his proposal, that I accepted with enthusiasm. Before that, my only contact with him had been through his scientific papers and books and, also, by the fact that we had a great friend in common.

He showed me passionately some nice places and "piazze" downtown, including his favorite "vineria".
In front of an excellent Italian wine, one of the first things he asked me was a very personal and delicate question about our beloved common friend.
- "That's a difficult question to answer", I said.
- "And why should our relationship be based on posing and answering easy questions?", he replied with his broad, seductive and ironic smile.

My impression was: I like this guy, I like what he says, I like his intensity, and I like the thrill of joy and curiosity he makes me feel. This first impression was only magnified by the years, and knowing that he won't be around anymore is a devastating feeling. I raise my glass in your honour, my friend.

I mourn the loss of Daniel Amit.

Henry Lowi,
Toronto, Canada

Some three years ago Daniel Amit wrote an e-mail to me. At the time, I only knew Daniel by scientific reputation. In his very short message, Daniel proposed me to become co-author of a new edition of his classic book on critical phenomena. I felt flattered, although worried by the challenge. Yet, Daniel managed to make me immediately feel at ease. Our collaboration lasted some 15 months. In that time, even if seriously ill during the first months, Daniel taught me so many things... Yet, unlikely as it may seem because of the age difference, we also became true friends. He rejected to adapt to the natural master-disciple role distribution and made me take decisions, that he in mediately challenged. I always found worth to discuss with him, whatever the subject or the occasion. He managed to bring a fresh, often sharp, viewpoint that he expressed passionately. He made me know great restaurants. I was guest in his Jerusalem house, and are most thankful to him and Dahlia for this beautiful experience. At times, his friendship could be quite demanding. Because of him, I have found myself making very complicated questions about Spain's court ability to prosecute crimes to mankind. However, he was completely honest when making such requests. He was supportive in difficult times. I miss him much.

For me Daniel has been a scientific father and a great teacher about life, in its good lessons and in the bad ones.

I will miss him, and I will keep his lessons and memories for all the time being.

I met Daniel 5 years ago while attending his neural network course in Rome, and I was immediately attracted by his charming and sound way of exposing ideas. Once I came up with a question on a tricky calculation and the answer became a wide and ramified discussion on the methods, objectives and limits of his field of study. That was the first glimpse into the research realm, and into its unique way of relating to others.

After joining his group later on, I've witnessed many times the magic of his passion, he was able to awake some aspects of people which are usually buried in the acting of everyday life. This openness easily turned to a friendship which I will never forget.

His straight honesty about my faults and limits was sometime hard to accept, but it helped me to overcome the difficulties I've encountered, at work and in life.

It's painful to realize that he's not here.

We are deeply saddened by Dani's death. We will always cherish the memory of his friendship. He taught us so much, from Quantum Field Theory to the Middle East. We are indebted to him and grateful for his commitment to a cause we all share. Dani has been a great friend, teacher, and scientist.

Living in the far east, I only had a few occasions to meet him. But every time he greatly influenced me leading my study to a new direction. I regret not visiting him in Rome in spite of his repeated invitations. I regret missing his advice and his friendly face.

All his messages remain in my memory. It was just this February that I sent him greetings; "I was recently awoken to a pleasure of research." and received his response; "What happened before you were awoken?"

Four decades ago Danny Amit had an important influence on my PhD research, and a quarter of a century ago he gave me a tour of Jerusalem during my first visit to Israel. Later I followed more his politics than his physics. Since in my lectures on theoretical physics I mention regularly how Einstein and Heisenberg tried to cope, very differently, with the political problems of their time, I now shortly summarized Danny Amit's way, from going to jail to refusing to referee. And I distributed to them his note in Nature 423, 683 (2003).

Daniel Amit initiated me to research and converted me to neuroscience. I only worked with him for one year, as a very young and naif physics student, at a master thesis. He was sometimes enlightening, sometimes funny, sometimes intimidating, sometimes enraging. Never neutral. I owe him an approach to science, a style, a sense of criticism, an all-too-needed cynicism towards the very volatile matter we all deal with when we try to do "brain science". As well as the deep love of science and ideas.

We seldom met after those times, but his trace on me stayed.

I have always thought of Dani as a Socrates for our times - always asking why and then asking why not, and thus guiding minds, his and others, in the direction of truth. He was fiercely alive -- passionate, intense, stubborn, wily, ironic, affectionate. Magnificently right or infuriatingly wrong, never dull or neutral. It is heartbreaking to say good bye.

I sent this letter to Yali, Dani's son, and he encouraged me to post it to this condolence page for Dani. Here it is.

Only this morning I learned of Dani's death. I stayed home and I spent the whole day thinking of him, crying and smiling and crying again. Here are some memories to share with you and others.

I met Dani in 1985, at a conference in Les Houches. I had began to study the Hopfield model, but I had not yet come across the seminal Amit, Gutfreund and Sompolinsky papers. I was beginning to think about the possibility of spurious memories in addition to the desired ones. I told Dani about my very early thoughts on this matter. He said that there were indeed many such spurious memories, actually an exponentially large number of them. `But how can you possibly calculate that?' , I wondered. `It must be extremely difficult'. `Of course', said Dani. `That is why we did it'.

Time passed. I began to work on learning of input-output associations. I had some half-baked ideas on the topic, and I shared them with Dani at yet another conference. He was quite skeptical. A whole year later I had figured this out and written a paper. Quite satisfied with myself, I sent a copy to Dani. Return email: `Dear Sara. Thanks for your paper. It might even be right'.

A conference in Elba. Dani comments on his surprise at finding himself to be the oldest scientist at this meeting. His response: to windsurf. Not just to windsurf, but to be good at it. Actually, to be quite good at it. In fact, why not the best?

In 1998, Dani visits Chicago and we invite him to give a talk at Northwestern. Many colleagues want to talk to him, but he does not have much time for us. `The main purpose of this trip', Dani says, `is to win over my granddaughter, now four'.

Some time later, I read about the nasty business with the Rammal medal. I write to Dani full of indignation. He dismisses my intense aggravation, and says that it `is all worth it, to get so many nice letters from friends'.

Only a few years ago, Dani gives us all yet another lesson on the responsibilities and duties of civic behavior, as he refuses to act as referee for the Physical Review. Deeply moved, I write to him, `You have reminded me of something that I had always believed in, but somehow forgotten: that small acts of disobedience count, because if every honorable person refuses, the unthinkable is much less likely to happen.' Dani answers, `Thank you so much for gentle words, Sara. There are little acts but zero optimism.'

Every time I had a chance to meet Dani, to talk to him about science, or politics, or life, I felt that something rich and important had taken place. It was always intense, and interesting, and full of life. I was not a close friend, and I did not see him very often, and yet there are few people that I remember and will remember so vividly. I struggle with the idea that I will never again enjoy his company. It breaks my heart.

The greatest success of a great man is his faliure. Aba, I miss you.

Shalom Dani,

How sad it is. I first met you in 1969, when you taught me Solid State Physics; the last time we met was at a conference in Korea, where we studied together the effects of soju. In between our professional and personal trajectories crossed numerous times.

Irrespective of whether we were in agreement over an issue or not (sometimes we agreed and many times we did not), I always admired your intellectual integrity and courage. You had strong opinions, which you never bothered to hide or disguise, about nearly everything. Love, passion, hate and disgust were always out in the open. You spoke your mind clearly, concisely and with absolute conviction, irrespective of how far you were from consensus. And many times you spoke my mind too.

In 1995 we were at the First (and Last) Middle Eastern Physics Meeting in Dahab. An Egyptian gentleman gave a talk which was not up to the standards of a very famous participant, who cracked loud tasteless jokes. I was appalled and considered making a mess, but was hesitant about "creating a situation". Before I had a chance to make up my mind, you got up, turned around and instructed the offensive person with icy politeness that left no room for refusal, to either behave or leave.

I had a strong feeling of "I should have done that" - a feeling generated by many of your actions (while about many others I felt that I never would have done that). One of the most complex, interesting, courageous and outspoken members of our community is gone, and will be greatly missed.

We wanted so much to contact you my friend Dani,
we wanted so much with Bona to see you in Rome soon...
What sadness people like Dani to leave us...
These moments big "whys" are torturing us and we afraid to see the answers.

Our beloved and honest Dani, many people needed you, were looking at you for taking courage.
We feel emptier now and more vulnerable in this cruel world.
We remember your smile, your kindness, the lunch we had in Athens some time ago.
We had spoke many years ago for the "mpoumpoukokero" of the spring and a book (Fugitive Pieces) you suggested to me...
We hope that after life there is a place to meet you again.

Lambis & Bona
Athens

Daniel was the first Israeli I met when I arrived in Rome. At the time, as a young and confused Israeli "peacnik" living abroad, Daniel was like a lighthouse for me. Not only did he welcome me with open arms and a reassuring smile, but he also taught me not to be afraid to speak up and write on my feelings about what it means being a non-mainstream Israeli. Knowing that he is around to remind me that anti-conformism is not a disease was of great help and encouragement. He was and still is my guide here.

Dani, as the days go by you are missed more and more here. Your very special sense of friendship, so tender and generous, has left us all bereft. Life is not the same without you.

I'm sorry for your loss

Two years ago, i was his student for four months. He called me troublemaker and crazy.
I have never met a man who was able to change my view of life within so short time.
Really thank you Professor Amit.

J'ai toujours eu envie de tout comprendre . Mais je ressens la disparition de Daniel Amit comme quelque chose de totalement incompréhensible comme on l'éprouve pour la mort d'un être cher. Parce qu'il était vivant, intelligent, sympathique, convaincu et convainquant, parce qu'il nous aidait à essayer de saisir non seulement la logique cachée des phénoménes naturels mais aussi les circonvolutions compliquées du probléme politique israëlien. J'ai passé à Jérusalem une année inoubliable. C'est à lui que je l'ai dû. Il est des êtres au travers desquels Dieu nous parle (M. Yourcenar).

Bien amicalement à toi
Pierre Peretto