Photo Flash: Barbra Streisand Accepts Honorary Degree from Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Legendary American actress, director, singer, producer, composer, philanthropist and activist Barbra Streisand received an honorary doctor of philosophy degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The ceremony took place earlier today, June 17, during the 76th Hebrew University International Board of Governors Meeting. Check out photos of Streisand accepting the honor below!

The honorary doctorate was presented to Ms. Streisand in recognition of her professional achievements, outstanding humanitarianism, leadership in the realm of human and civil rights, and dedication to Israel and the Jewish people.

Ms. Streisand's multi-dimensional career has kept her at the forefront of the entertainment industry for decades. Born to a Jewish family in Brooklyn in 1942, she lost her father when she was just a child. While still in her teens, the Erasmus High School honors student launched her career as a singer by initially winning a singing contest. At age 19, Ms. Streisand had her Broadway debut, and in 1962, made her debut album, which quickly became the top-selling record by a female vocalist in the United States.

By age 28, Ms. Streisand had already earned five of the entertainment industry's most prestigious awards: the Grammy, Oscar, Tony, Emmy and Golden Globe, making her an icon of American culture and an international favorite. Among her myriad accolades, she received an Oscar for Best Actress (Funny Girl, 1968), and for composing the music for Best Original Song (Evergreen, 1976). During her career, she has been honored by the Directors Guild of America and received the National Medal of Arts from President Bill Clinton, the Peabody Award, the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award, the Cecil B. DeMille Award for Lifetime Achievement and Kennedy Center Honors. The internationally recognized artist received France's Legion of Honour from President Nicolas Sarkozy. Additionally, Ms. Streisand is an author and photographer known for her critically acclaimed book, "My Passion for Design."

Ms. Streisand has been long admired for her civic activism and philanthropic leadership. Her commitment is reflected in the work of The Streisand Foundation, which is dedicated to fostering women's equality and health, protecting human and civil rights, advancing the needs of at-risk children in society and preserving the environment. Often donating the proceeds from her performances on behalf of important causes, Ms. Streisand has been a leading spokesperson and fund-raiser for AIDS research and treatment; she received the 1992 Commitment to Life Award from the AIDS Project Los Angeles. In 1989, she established a chair in Environmental Science at the Environmental Defense Fund, with a focus on global climate change, and later funded the participation of the organization's top scientists at the Global Warming World Summit in Kyoto. She was also a leading contributor to the William Jefferson Clinton Climate Change Initiative. Ms. Streisand has been a driving force behind the Women's Heart Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, which renamed the center in her honor, The Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center.

Photo Credit: Alexi Rosenfeld, AJR Photography