The conference Navigating the Modern Family: Culture, Science, Technology, Law, and Ethics took place in Berlin on 2 November, organised jointly by the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities and the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, with the support of the German-Israeli Foundation for Scientific Research and Development (GIF). The conference examined the changes the institution of the family has undergone in the modern era from cultural, scientific, technological, legal and ethical perspectives.

The Israel Academy was represented by its President, Prof. David Harel; Academy Member and former President Prof. Nili Cohen; Academy Member and Nobel Laureate in Chemistry Prof. Aaron Ciechanover; and researchers from Israel and Germany.

Topics discussed included the influence of religion and tradition on family life, advanced reproductive technologies, parenthood in the age of biotechnology, and the challenges of multiculturalism in democratic societies.

During the conference, participants visited the exhibition Nobel Heroes, an international project by photographer Peter Badge presenting portraits and personal stories of hundreds of Nobel laureates from around the world, bringing out the human face of the world's leading scientists. Since May 2026 the exhibition has had a permanent home at Gendarmenmarkt, next to the building of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy. The visit was initiated by Prof. Ciechanover and formed part of the official conference programme.

In the evening, a public event was held as part of Berlin Science Week, addressing changes in the institution of the family and the impact of science and technology on modern society, with the participation of Prof. Ciechanover and other researchers from Israel and Germany.