Welcome & Opening Remarks Itzhak Tserruya PANIC 2008, Eilat Nov. 9-14, 2008

(I) Head, Dept of Particle Physics, Weizmann Institute Welcome (I) Head, Dept of Particle Physics, Weizmann Institute Itzhak Tserruya PANIC 2008, Eilat Nov. 9-14, 2008

The Historical Connection The idea of bringing together the Particle and Nuclear Physics communities grew up in the 1960s. The first PANIC meeting was organized at CERN in 1964 by Torlief Ericson and the late Victor Weisskopf and Amos de Shalit of the Weizmann Institute, Israel. This first small `private' meeting was succeeded in 1967 by the second PANIC meeting which was open to all and held in Israel, at the Weizmann Institute. Itzhak Tserruya PANIC 2008, Eilat Nov. 9-14, 2008

Historical Connection (II) These are the seeds upon which a significant fraction of Israeli physics developed since then, with fairly strong groups in Nuclear, Particle and later on also in AstroPhysics. We wish to continue and further strengthen this tradition by holding PANIC08 in Israel.

Welcome (II) Chair, PANIC08 On behalf of the mini Local Organizing Committee Avraham Gal, co-chair Danny Ashery, co-chair Eli Piasetzky Itzhak Tserruya PANIC 2008, Eilat Nov. 9-14, 2008

PANIC08 in numbers ~ 560 registrations (including acc. persons) and still growing 134 students & post-docs 26 plenary talks 562 abstracts submitted 46 invited parallel talks 247 oral contributions 115 Posters Itzhak Tserruya PANIC 2008, Eilat Nov. 9-14, 2008

Announcements Please wear your badge at all times as a pass to the conference events. If lost or stolen report asap to the registration desk. Free WiFi is available to all PANIC participants in the public areas and all (some) guest rooms of the Dan Eilat (Dan Panorama). Login : panic and password : 2008 Speakers: please upload your talk into the Indico system, or bring it to the preview room (Dolphin room) not later than 5:00pm of the day preceding your talk. For last minute changes to the agenda refer to the Indico system or to the daily program posted at the entrance of each hall. Two shuttle vans will operate between the Dan Eilat and Dan Panorama hotels during the parallel sessions. Present your badge to board them. Itzhak Tserruya PANIC 2008, Eilat Nov. 9-14, 2008

Announcements Reservations for excursions (the optional tours on Wednesday, accompanying persons tours and Petra tour on Saturday) can be made today and tomorrow between 12:00- 16:30 at the tour reservation desk. Buses will depart from Eilat on Friday at 2:00 pm to: Ben Gurion Airport, Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv: reservation at the registration desk Rehovot : pls sign sheets posted near the registration desk. You should know that the entrance to many public places is guarded by security personnel who may ask to inspect your bag. This is standard routine. Itzhak Tserruya PANIC 2008, Eilat Nov. 9-14, 2008

PANIC Scientific Secretariat Reut Hershenhoren Dan Knassim I wish all and each one of us a most stimulating and enjoyable week Ana Weksler Itzhak Tserruya PANIC 2008, Eilat Nov. 9-14, 2008 Debi Ben Moshe