1. Welcome and Thanks Oded To all of you: For coming and participating.
To the attendees, to the speakers, to the organizers.
To all of you: For coming and participating.
To the speakers: For wishing to entertaining and educate us.
To the organizers: Ran, Yehuda, Irit and Moni.

2. I have mixed feeling about this event (on the gap between theory and application: a case study)
In theory: Acknowledge intellectual and emotional debt, express gratitude for intellectual and emotional effort. A charming idea indeed. Needless to say, I am flattered and honored. In fact, nothing can flatter and honor me more.
My mix feelings: Theory vs practice
In practice: A large crowd (i.e., over four participants (incl. myself)), taking place for two days, starting at 10am, early evening events, no escapes (for me…), no time to take a bath.
Quite a pain. I may suffer and be unable to talk at the end.
Thus, I asked to talk now. To thank you now.

3. On Science (or why I cherish this event so much)
The vulgar view: Science is the collection of published texts, or (if less vulgar) the compilation of sound knowledge. So all that matters is what one publishes, or presents, or discovers.
The educated view: Science is a community of scholars (aka students), bound together in pursuit of knowledge.
So what matters is the impact one has on the scientific world-view of others, the assistance and advice one has offered other scientists.
Hence, what can be more pleasing than scholars telling you that you have contributed to their scientific worldview and/or assisted their professional development.
If I may add something….