February 5, 2026
On February 2–4, 2026, the Azrieli Fellows Program held the first of two writing retreats in the 2025–2026 academic year on the banks of the Sea of Galilee (Kinneret). The three-day retreat brought together fellows, alumni, and, for the first time, Visiting PhD Fellows for a period of focused academic work.
It began with clear, sunny weather, allowing participants to settle into a steady rhythm of sustained writing. The latter part of the retreat coincided with rainfall, which reinforced the indoor focus and created particularly conducive conditions for concentrated work.
The quiet writing room and restaurant overlook the lake, and writing to the sound of rain, with Mediterranean storm light reflecting off the water and the surrounding hills, added a distinctive, memorable atmosphere to the retreat.
The retreat was structured to support academic productivity through protected writing time, light structure, and peer accountability. Fellows worked intensively on articles, chapters, and proposals, making substantial progress across a wide range of projects.
This year, the program intentionally expanded alumni participation, enabling cross-track and cross-cohort exchange and strengthening connections across the Azrieli academic community. Informal conversations and shared meals complemented the writing blocks and supported peer interaction.
The retreat concluded with participants returning to their home institutions with concrete progress on their writing projects.
