Postponing the Board of Governors Meeting

Dear members of the Board of Governors and friends,

Over the past several weeks, we have all been watching the evolving reality surrounding the Iran war and its ripple effects well beyond Israel’s borders. One of the most tangible consequences has been the growing instability in international travel to and from Israel. What began as isolated airline cancellations has steadily expanded, with more carriers suspending service and schedules becoming increasingly unpredictable. Even El Al, which has continued to serve as a vital lifeline, is operating under conditions that make long-term planning uncertain.

Against this backdrop, we have been carefully weighing one central question: can we responsibly ensure that our Board of Governors meeting in May will be accessible and workable for all who wish to attend? After consultation with travel professionals, university leadership, and thoughtful discussions with our Chairperson, Lloyd Goldman, we reached the conclusion that postponing the meeting is the most responsible path forward.

Therefore, together with Lloyd, we have made the decision to postpone our scheduled May Board of Governors meeting, and instead reconvene in the Negev on Sunday October 18 and culminating on Thursday October 22.

While this change is clearly disappointing, particularly for those of you who had already made plans to join us, I also see in it a silver lining. October offers us an opportunity to gather at a particularly meaningful moment in the life of the university. The beginning of the academic year carries a special kind of energy: new students arriving on campus for the first time, laboratories and classrooms coming to life, and the unmistakable sense of renewal that defines the start of each academic cycle.

In many ways, this shift will allow us to experience the university not at the close of a year, but at its opening, when possibilities feel especially tangible. I am confident that the October gathering will be vibrant, forward-looking, and filled with the sense of momentum that continues to define Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, even in challenging times. And I know that there were several people who were not able to come in May but hopefully now able to come in October.

Those of you who have already registered for the May meeting will be contacted promptly by our travel agency Eshet, which will assist with adjusting your arrangements and ensuring a smooth transition to the new dates.

As I write this, the university is preparing to shut down for the Passover spring break. In the coming days, we will complete the final stretch of classes online, pausing a semester that, once again, required flexibility and patience from our students and faculty. Hopefully, after the holiday, campus life will resume, laboratories will fill again, and students will return to learning on campus.

That rhythm of pause and renewal feels especially fitting this year. Just as Passover marks a transition toward possibility, I am confident that when we gather together in October, we will do so with renewed energy and, hopefully, under far more stable skies.

I look forward to welcoming you to the Negev on October 18, and to sharing with you not only the progress we have made, but the excitement of a new academic year just beginning.

Thank you, as always, for your understanding, your flexibility, and your continued partnership.

Hag Sameach,

Danny