What does it mean to sustain a community of scholars and to celebrate all they have achieved over a full year together? That question gave shape to the Azrieli Fellows Program’s annual end-of-year celebration, held recently in Jerusalem. Perched alongside the ramparts of the Old City, the hall looked out onto the ancient stonework and the rooftops beyond, bathed in the gold of early evening. It made a fitting setting for a gathering that was less a farewell than a recognition of what the Program has come to mean to the Fellows who pass through it.
The event brought together scholars from across all program tracks—Graduate Studies, International Postdoctoral, Early Career Faculty, and the new International Visiting PhD track—to honour the outgoing cohort as they joined the program’s growing alumni network. Reflecting on the program’s growth since 2007, Naomi Azrieli highlighted in her video message an upcoming milestone: with the selection of the 20th cohort, the program will have supported nearly 700 Fellows across a diverse academic ecosystem of STEM and non-STEM fields. She noted that strong international interest in the Postdoctoral and new International Visiting PhD tracks signals deep confidence in Israeli academia. The program, she emphasized, supports the people behind the research, fostering a connected community that drives better scholarship.
Dr. Aviad Stollman, the Program’s Global Director, expanded on this theme, urging Fellows to embrace diverse perspectives. Drawing on Hannah Arendt’s concept of thinking “without a banister,” and Richard Feynman’s preference for questions that cannot be answered over answers that cannot be questioned, he challenged the outgoing cohort to view respectful disagreement as a vital form of academic engagement: “Hold on to what you know, and make room for what you don’t.”
Following a certificate ceremony welcoming graduates into the alumni network, three Fellows spoke on behalf of their cohorts. Shada Khashkoush (Graduate Studies), Giacomo Loi (International Postdoctoral), and Or Litany (Early Career Faculty) all expressed deep gratitude for the program, which served as an indispensable anchor, providing critical community support, network opportunities, and a steady baseline for excellence throughout their academic journeys.
The event brought home an important message: transitioning from “Fellows” to “alumni” is a continuation, not a conclusion. The Azrieli Fellows Program looks forward to partnering with its new alumni through future activities and welcoming the broader community back this autumn.
