The conference in Beer Sheva and Sde Boker was set to be the first EAIS conference hosted by an Israeli university. Tragically, the event was abruptly canceled due to Hamas’s devastating terror attack on Israel. Some of the speakers and members of the EAIS organizing team had already arrived in Israel before the attack began, as the event was scheduled for October 8–10, 2023.

This was a challenging time for the EAIS. Our colleagues at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) offered vital help and support, demonstrating extraordinary generosity. They even ensured that the conference’s prepared catering did not go to waste. When the 11th EAIS Conference was canceled, the food was delivered to families evacuated from Gaza border communities after the horrors of October 7 (you can see some photos of it here).

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our friends at Ben-Gurion University for their solidarity and efforts. We deeply value the collaboration and hard work that went into organizing this event, and we hope to see EAIS return to the BGU in the future.

As a token of our appreciation to all the scholars and colleagues who worked tirelessly on the organization of the 11th Annual EAIS Conference at Ben-Gurion University, we want to share the program of the event.