"It's Been Crazy, But I Loved Every Minute"

"There's something about that moment, when the advertised hour comes, and you set up everything, turn the music on, and all of a sudden the Faculty, which just moments ago was quiet – pours out of the lecture halls and labs, and you have 300 people around you, all smiling, thanking you, eating, having fun," says Orr Shochet, departing chairman of the Faculty of Engineering's student council. "People here study well into the night, coping with complex challenges, and the fact that we can offer them some respite, break up their day and offer something nice to boost morale – it's addictive."

Orr took on the role of chairman during his third year, and co-chaired with Shoham Galili who was then in her fourth year. "The first year was a bit of a shock. New role, understanding who's who, when to approach the student union, the university, it's a lot to take in," he reminisces. "Gradually, we picked up the pace. We started organizing event, and each time was more fun than the last. During the second half of our term we started offering LinkedIn and CV workshops, and the cherry on top: a weekend at the Faculty of Engineering. We had games, a festive Friday night dinner, group discussions, and meetings with alumni who came in to speak about their careers, give tips, and take resumes. We also set everyone up with a place to stay on campus, and breakfast and lunch on Saturday. Hands down, it's the best event we ever had."

The weekend took place when Orr was finishing his third year, and marked the end of his co-chair Shoham's term, for she was graduating. Orr stayed on alone as chair. "In fourth year we continued to have nice and tasty events, like ice cream or cereal breaks. My goal throughout was to spread some good. I had other students with me on the council, of course, but they were less available during exams, so I did a lot of the work on my own. Also, during that year, I put a little less emphasis on events and more on personal interactions."

The Link

Working with students on a personal level is linked to the challenges brought on by the war, which broke out just when Orr and Shoham started their term on the council. "It added plenty of intricacy on so many levels, because on the one hand, you're trying to make people happy, but on the other, you don't want to hold this fun musical event on the same morning that eight soldiers die in battle," says Orr. In addition, the council became this tool that communicates students' needs to the university. We were approached by students who needed help but didn't get sufficient response, and we essentially became the connecting link between students and the Faculty of Engineering on matters of student rights. Sure, plans were laid out and the intentions were good, but more than a few people struggled with working with charts, and what they needed was a person to talk to and explain things to them. This got more noticeable during the second year of the war, when I was in my fourth year, particularly during the Iran operation. I would get more than 200 texts each day, on countless topics, for instance, a student currently on reserve duty who is experiencing emotional duress, or a student whose neighbors' home was hit by a rocket and they don't know how to cope with those sights. I became immersed in these stories."

Orr is a disabled IDF veteran who suffers from PTSD, and this type of aid was near and dear to his heart. "With the Iran campaign, I found myself dedicating a considerable portion of my time, 2-3 hours a day, responding to students. It felt more important than throwing events. I connected many to the university's Sunflower Resilience Center. It was important for me that people would know that there are places to turn to for help at the university, that there's someone to talk to." In addition, in December 2023, Orr accompanied Bar-Ilan's Student Union chairperson on a discussion at the Knesset, and spoke about the immense struggle experienced by students when they go directly from the battlefield into the lecture hall. "I explained that these students would need extra help in order to graduate," he explains.

And with all that, Orr remained dedicated to his studies – including all the pressure of fourth year, papers, finals, projects, and job searching. "Not to mention that I had my personal experience with the war, I had friends die, I had my own struggles," Orr stresses. "Additionally, during that year I was chairman of the board at the student union, and I got engaged. It's been a crazy year, but I loved every minute."

Just Like Home

In September 2025, Orr started working as a systems engineer at Elisra, a subsidiary of Elbit. "I started there after I completed all of my degree requirements, except for my final project presentation – which I did from work, via Zoom. Work makes me very happy. I'm learning fascinating things, and feel like I'm doing something significant and contributing to the effort, because this is the defense industry during wartime." By the time you are reading this, he has already married Shaked, an organic chemistry graduate student with whom he has been in a relationship for the past eight years, since she was a high school senior and he was in military training.

Orr has passed the student council baton to Yoav Weiss and Adi Kastanovic, both in their third year, and he is certain that he is leaving the council in good hands. "Yoav and Adi are full of new ideas, they are eager to improve the council, and I wish them the best of luck in their new roles." In addition, he wishes to thank the staff at the Faculty of Engineering. "When you interact with so many people, staff and students, it becomes more than just a place you come to, study, and leave. It really felt like home. In fact, I spent more time at the Faculty of Engineering than in my own home."