Today in the lab we had a very nice party to celebrate and mark the naming of the dig as the “Ackerman Family Bar-Ilan University Expedition to Gath”.
Avery nice group of the Safi team – both regular “labbers” and others (including Jeff Chadwick who came for a visit!), along with Prof. Miri Faust, the BIU Rector, Dr. Meirav Galili, the director of BIU Global Resource Development, and Ms. Vera Muravitz, Chairman of the International Friends of BIU, and Prof. Boaz Zissu, dept. chair, all came to celebrate and raise in a toast in honor of the event, and talk about the important contribution that the Ackerman Family’s donation will provide – enabling close to two dozen students from all over the world to participate in the uncovering of the past of the Land of Israel – and to foster cutting edge archaeological research.
It was particularly nice to be able to get together with such nice people – friends and colleagues!
Here are some nice pictures that Maria took:
The Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project Official (and Unofficial) Weblog 
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