Blog

Message from the Dorot Director

Dear Friends,

September marks the start of our fall semester, and the Albright is once again full of energy. We are delighted to welcome our new cohort of fellows for the 2026–2027 academic year, and especially two fellows arriving in September who represent the Albright’s full chronological span: Blair Heidkamp (University of Texas at Austin) as our Meyers Dissertation Fellow researching projectile points in Neolithic Levant, and Prof Benjamin Saidel (East Carolina University) as one of our Gitin Professors researching the archaeology of an Ottoman and British Mandate tent camp.

We are also pleased to announce that applications are now open for our 2027–2028 fellowships. Please share this opportunity widely among colleagues and students, we would love to see a strong field of applicants.

Finally, as we enter the Jewish High Holidays this month, I wish a Shanah Tovah to all who are celebrating Rosh Hashanah, and an easy fast and g'mar chatimah tovah to those observing Yom Kippur.

With warm wishes,

Jamie Fraser
Dorot Director
W. F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research

Upcoming Events

2026 Fall Lecture Program

Our fall lecture season opens this month, and we hope you can join us in person or on Zoom. All lectures begin at 5pm Jerusalem time, with a reception at 6pm.

Download the Fall 2026 Program (PDF)

September

October

November

December

Fellowships

2027–2028 Fellowship Applications Now Open

Applications are now open for the Albright's 2027–2028 fellowships. Opportunities include:

Applications close in early December. Full eligibility details and application instructions are available at aiar.org/fellowships.

View Fellowship Details

In the News

Huqoq's “Dazzling Mosaic” Featured in Haaretz

Haaretz published a feature on the exhibition of the Huqoq synagogue excavation, interviewing Albright Trustee Prof. Jodi Magness and highlighting the Institute's partnership with the US Embassy and the US Department of State on the Galilee Heritage Project. Read “A 1,600 Year Old Village, a Dazzling Mosaic, and a New Story of Ancient Judaism”.

Progress Updates on Our Grants

We continue to make strides on our two-year, $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of State through ECA's Cultural Heritage Center and the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem:

This photograph captures William Foxwell Albright jumping from a boat as he arrives with a group on the shore of Ein Gedi, on the western shore of the Dead Sea. The handwritten inscription, “Landing at Engedi,” offers a glimpse into the original context in which the photograph was kept. Beyond documenting a moment in the field, the image reflects the practical realities of archaeological travel in the early twentieth century, when reaching remote sites could be an expedition in itself. Preserved as part of the Albright Family Archive, currently undergoing conservation treatment, the photograph offers an intimate glimpse not only into Albright's archaeological work, but also into the journeys that surrounded it.

News from the Library

New Acquisition: Chronoi – Topoi

The library has received a donation of Chronoi – Topoi: Concepts of Time and Space as Literary Devices in Second Temple Judaism, edited by Alexandra Grund-Wittenberg and Martina Kepper (De Gruyter, 2026). The volume was donated by Moritz F. Adam, who contributed the article, “Ambiguous Spaces and Timeless Ideas: On the Openness of Time and Space in the Book of Ecclesiastes,” while he was a fellow at the Albright Institute.

Visitors Welcome

Over the past month, the Albright Institute Library has welcomed a number of visitors from outside the Institute, including academics and students from both local and international institutions. It has been wonderful to see researchers making use of the library's collections and resources. Researchers and students interested in visiting the library are welcome to email library@aiar.org or submit a Visit Request Form through the Albright Institute website.

Staff Spotlight

Each month we spotlight a member of the Albright team. This month, meet Laura Rheintgen, who joined us in June.

Laura Rheintgen

Albright Institute

Based in the United States, Laura grew up in the Washington, D.C. area and spent time living in Europe and the Middle East during her youth. She returned to D.C. for college and graduate school, earning degrees in international relations.

Laura brings more than 30 years of nonprofit development experience to our team. Her background includes work with public policy organizations such as the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), as well as cultural institutions like the National Women's History Museum and the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE).

Laura will be visiting the team in Jerusalem in mid-September. Outside of work, she enjoys yoga, hiking, and traveling with her husband, Steve. Her daughter is currently living in Italy for graduate school.

In Memoriam

Konstantinos “Dino” Politis

We are saddened to share the news that Konstantinos “Dino” Politis, archaeologist and longtime friend of the Albright community, died on August 11, aged 67, after a stroke. Dino spent nearly four decades excavating and protecting the archaeology of Jordan's Dead Sea shore, most notably at the Sanctuary of Lot at Deir 'Ain 'Abata, and went on to found the Museum at the Lowest Place on Earth to keep those discoveries in the landscape from which they came. He will be deeply missed. Dorot Director Jamie Fraser represented the Albright at Dino's funeral at Chalkida in Greece on August 17.

Support the Albright

The Omar and Hisham Jibreen Kitchen Campaign

Two names, one kitchen, eight decades of service. We’re honoring the extraordinary legacy of Omar and Hisham Jibreen, uncle and nephew, whose combined dedication shaped the Albright’s kitchen and table for generations, by naming the kitchen in their memory. With Hisham’s son Daoud now carrying the tradition into a third generation, this campaign is both a tribute and a continuation. To learn more about their legacy, view some photos, and to support the campaign, use the link below.

Support the Campaign →

Centennial Paving Stone

Leave your name, or honor someone else’s, on the Albright’s campus for generations to come. For $250, you can purchase a named paving stone, placed along our pathway of supporters on the Institute’s grounds. It’s a small gesture with lasting presence: every stone tells a story of someone who helped carry the Albright into its next century. All donations are tax-deductible in the US.

Purchase a Paving Stone →