ANGLO-ISRAEL ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT 2025 Prepared for the AGM held 30 April 2026
The 62nd AGM of the Anglo-Israel Archaeological Society (unincorporated association) was held on 5 April 2025 by videoconference. This AGM will be the fourth AGM of The Anglo-Israel Archaeological Society as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), Charity Reg no. 1195866.
The Society exists to advance education relating to the archaeology of Israel and its neighbours. It regularly holds lectures on topics of archaeological interest concerning the region, funding travel grants to Israel for students and publishing its peer-reviewed journal, Strata . All these activities were carried out in 2025, along with other one-off activities, and are described below.
Lecture Summaries for 2025
Our online lecture programme continues to attract large worldwide audiences which frequently exceed over 100 attendees. The Society hosted 15 lectures throughout the year. The following is a summary of lectures in 2025, which are all available to view on the website.
Thursday 16 January 2025: Online
Dr Nava Panitz-Cohen (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
A Wise Woman and a Bearded Male: Excavations at Tel Abel Beth Maacah in Northern Israel
Wednesday 26 February 2025 Online JOINT WITH BFHU
Dr Igor Kreimerman, (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Debates in the Dust: Seventy Years After the First Dig at Hazor and the Shaping of Biblical Archaeology
Thursday 20 March 2025: Online Prof. Helen Bond (University of Edinburgh) Mary of Nazareth: A non-elite Jewish life
Thursday 24 April 2025: Online Prof. Yigal Levin (Bar-Ilan University) Tamar on the Southern Boundary of Ezekiel’s New Land of Israel
Tuesday 27 May 2025: Online Prof. Avi Faust (Bar-Ilan University) "Life in Building 101 at Tel ‘Eton': From “Boys and Girls Playing” to “Old Men and Old Women Sitting”
Thursday 5 June 2025: Online Prof. Oded Lipschits (Tel Aviv University)
Tel Azekah after Twelve Seasons of Excavation: From a Canaanite City to a Judahite Fort and a Byzantine Church
Thursday 17 July 2025: Online
Prof. Tessa Rajak (Emerita at the University of Reading) Reminiscences of the Masada dig, 1963-5: Yigael Yadin and the British Connection
Thursday 18 September 2025: Online Danny Syon (Israel Antiquities Authority) Excavations of Crusader Akko
Wednesday 22 October 2025: Online Dr. Meron Piotrkowski (University of Oxford) Mapping the Jews of Ancient Egypt: From the Hellenistic Period to the Arab Conquest
Wednesday 12 November 2025: Online Dr. Laurie Pearce (University of California, Berkeley) Judean Experience(s) in Mesopotamia
Wednesday 10 December 2025: Online
Prof. Zeev Weiss (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) “Building God’s House: Synagogues, Churches, and Intercommunal Relations in Late Antique Palestine”
Collectively, we received 1,046 lecture registrations, with more than 682 attendees (please note that attendance data for February 2026 is not yet available). To date (09/03/2026), our lecture recordings have accumulated a total of 1,273 views.
Student Travel Grants
In light of the ongoing situation in Israel, we have paused our usual student travel grant programme for the time being. We will continue to review developments closely and hope to reinstate this opportunity—or introduce a suitable alternative—as soon as circumstances allow.
Strata Volume 42 (2024)
Strata Volume 42 (2024) presents a wide-ranging collection of scholarly studies focused on prehistoric and early historic archaeology in the southern Levant. Natalia Gubenko provides an extensive historical overview of the beginnings of prehistoric research in the Holy Land, tracing the discipline’s formation and early excavations. Mina Weinstein-Evron offers a fresh reassessment of the famous Tabun Cave Neanderthal Woman from Layer C, incorporating modern analytical perspectives.
Research into submerged prehistoric landscapes is highlighted by Ehud Galili and Liora Horowitz, who examine coastal settlements now underwater due to sea-level changes. Laurent Davin explores François Valla’s influential ethnological approach to understanding the Natufian culture, emphasising its interpretive value. Steven A. Rosen evaluates how the rise of “New Archaeology” reshaped prehistoric studies in Israel, shifting methodological and theoretical approaches.
The volume concludes with summaries of recent lectures, offering insights into ongoing debates and emerging research trends.
All the authors are sincerely thanked for their contributions to Strata 42.
Finance
A review and update of member rates took place in 2025. A separate Annual Statement of Accounts for 2025 has been circulated with the Agenda for this AGM.
Publicity
The Society’s website is an important focus for information about AIAS events, archaeological news from Israel, recordings of lectures and for selecting back copies of Strata. The website attracts considerable interest and sincere thanks are extended to our Administrator, Claire Wilkins, for maintaining and keeping the information up to date. A refresh of the website is expected in 2026, bringing enhanced features.
The Society’s Facebook page is maintained by Dr David Friedman and gives links to, and comments on, the latest archaeological discoveries and publicity about AIAS’s latest lectures (www.facebook.com/IsraelArchaeologyLondon). AIAS is also on -Twitter: @AIAS_Strata, and our grateful thanks are extended to Dr Rebekah Welton for administering the Twitter account.
Our Summer and Winter Newsletters were shared with all members this year. We extend our sincere thanks to Claire Wilkins for coordinating and producing both editions, and to Mark Merrony for his insightful contribution on archaeological finds, featured in the Summer issue.
Trustee meetings
The Trustees convened three times in 2025; in March, July and November. In addition to the topics covered above, there were discussions on our investment policy, details of our data and cyber security, grant programme, proposal to launch a new course and member trips and regular financial updates from the Honorary Treasurer.
There were changes to the Trustee membership in 2025. We warmly welcomed Prof. Hindy Najman as trustee and Dr. Nathan McDonald as committee member.
Administrative support
Mrs. Claire Wilkins assumed responsibility for all administrative duties, including the coordination of events. Mrs. Courtney Lee joined January 2026 to support lectures and events.
Final words
The Society warmly acknowledges the generous support we have received over the past year from both members and non-members. We also extend our sincere gratitude to our Honorary Solicitor, Mr Ian Burman, for his valued guidance, and to our Independent Examiner, Mr Paul Felton, for undertaking the review of the 2025 Accounts.
Please contact the Administrator if you are able to help support our activities in any way (admin@aias.org.uk).
THE ANGLO-ISRAEL ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
TREASURER’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2025
In 2025, we hosted 11 public lectures, all of which were virtual, attracting on average over 60 attendees. The publication of Strata Vol. 42, our top-quality peer-reviewed journal, was delayed during the year, but was published in February 2026. However, because of the political situation in Israel, we decided to suspend our student travel grant programme for 2025, as we did for 2024.
Total receipts this year amounted to £12,502, compared with last year’s receipts of £14,789. Receipts from individual members paying subscriptions totaled £3,235 (£4,035, 2024). When in-year total receipts are adjusted for prior year’s receipts relating to the current year, and receipts in the current year relating to the next year, we received subscriptions of £ 3,272 in relation to this year (£3,982, 2024). We did not publish Strata this year, and therefore the only income received related to backcopy orders. Income from our two investments in COIF Funds, managed by CCLA Fund Managers, into which our non-cash reserves are invested, provided dividend income of £5,214 (£5,077, 2024) and interest income of £333 (226, 2024). Gift Aid receipts totaled £1,295, compared with £946 in 2024. Of the Gift Aid of £1,295 received in 2025, £979 related to 2024 and £316 to a further claim for 2023.
We have again this year benefitted from a number of generous donations. £1,000 was received from Dr Alan Brenner and £1,000 from Mr. Martin Stern. The Society also received a further £275 from 8 individuals. We are extremely grateful to all these benefactors.
In respect of virtual lectures in 2025, our expenses for the year were minimal.
Because we did not publish Strata during 2025, our costs of £2,839 in 2025 relate to the funding of Strata’s new Editor to attend two international archaeology conferences to promote the Society and the Journal and to attract new scholarly articles. Strata Volume 42 (2024) has now been published and Volume 43 (2025) will be published in 2026.
Administration expenditure was £10,054 during the year, compared with £9,706 in 2024. We have spent £2,267 in 2025 on IT, compared with £2,626 in 2024. Finance charges from our credit card processor amounted to £519 in 2025, compared with £393 in 2024. Office costs were £545 in 2025, compared with £1,154 in 2024, benefitting from an absence of Royal Mail redirection costs for this year.
In aggregate, expenditure exceeded receipts by £4,472 compared with £4,367 in 2024.
The Society’s reserves have decreased from £216,587 at the beginning of the year to £202,931 as at 31[st] December 2025. The Society’s reserves, other than those represented by cash and a tax refund due in respect of Gift Aid less accrued expenses, are held as investments in two COIF Funds. The principal fund, the COIF Charities Investment Fund (IF), invests in a range of liquid investments of which between 50% and 85% are equities. The other, the COIF Charities Short Duration Bond Fund (SDBF), invests principally in a mixture of Government and Non-Government bonds. Total nonmonetary investments decreased from £195,524 to £186,803 over the 12 months.
We have, as in previous years, asked for an Independent Examiner’s report in the format prescribed by the Charity Commission, and our sincere thanks are due to Mr Paul Felton for fulfilling that role.
Dr. Anthony Rabin Hon. Treasurer 21[st] March 2025
ANGLO ISRAEL ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR TO 31ST DECEMBER 2025
1. RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT
| Receipts Subscriptions Donations Publications - Strata Sundries Investments - Interest Investments - Dividends Tax refund on Gift Aid Total receipts Payments Student Travel Grants Direct Expenditure Lectures Strata Insurance Other Expenditure Administration Printing Postage Jubilee Event Lectures IT and Web costs Telephone and sundry Bank charges Ofce Total Expenditure Net Receipts (outgoings) |
2025 | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestrict ed Restrict ed Total Funds Funds 3,235.00 3,235.00 2,275.00 0.00 2,275.00 50.00 50.00 100.00 100.00 332.87 332.87 5,213.63 5,213.63 1,295.49 1,295.49 |
Unrestricte d Restricte d Total Funds Funds 4,035.00 4,035.00 2,726.25 1,000.00 3,726.25 760.62 760.62 18.08 18.08 226.21 226.21 5,076.69 5,076.69 945.85 945.85 |
||
| 12,501.99 0.00 12,501.9 9 |
13,788.70 1,000.00 14,788.7 0 |
||
| 0.00 0.00 0.00 2,839.0 0 2,839.00 455.34 455.34 |
0.00 0.00 3,832.02 3,832.02 444.49 444.49 |
||
| 455.34 | 2,839.0 0 3,294.34 |
4,276.51 4,276.51 |
|
| 10,054.17 10,054.1 7 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 183.60 183.60 2,083.10 2,083.10 294.99 294.99 518.85 518.85 544.69 544.69 |
9,706.08 9,706.08 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2,626.24 2,626.24 0.00 0.00 393.24 393.24 1,154.11 1,154.11 |
||
| 13,679.40 13,679.4 0 |
13,879.67 13,879.6 7 |
||
| 14,134.74 | 2,839.0 0 16,973.7 4 |
18,156.18 18,156.1 8 |
|
| -1,632.75 - 2,839.0 0 - 4,471.75 |
-4,367.48 1,000.00 - 3,367.48 |
ANGLO ISRAEL ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR TO 31ST DECEMBER 2025
2. STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AT 31ST DECEMBER 2025 (£)
| Monetary Assets Bank and Cash Balances COIF Charities Deposit Fund Bank Account Total Cash at Bank and In Hand Debtor Tax refund due on Gift Aid subscriptions and donations Monetary Liabilities (incurred before the accounting date but settled later) Unrestricted Funds Accrued Charges for Dec. 2025 Accrued administration remuneration |
2025 2024 261.03 250.33 15,944.7 3 20,416.48 |
|
|---|---|---|
| 16,205.7 6 20,666.81 |
||
| 1,000 | ||
| 227.72 199.70 850.00 404.17 |
||
| 1,077.72 £603.87 |
| Non-Monetary Assets | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holding | Market | Gross | ||
| Income | ||||
| (units) | Value (£) | (£) | ||
| COIF Charities Investment Fund | 9,190.24 | 177,572.90 | 5,213.63 | |
| T Income Units | ||||
| COIF Charities Fixed Interest Fund | 7,158.58 | 9,230.27 | 1,295.49 | |
| B income Units | ||||
| 186,803.1 | ||||
| As at 31st December 2025 | 7 | 6,509.12 | ||
| 195,524.4 | ||||
| As at 31st December 2024 | 1 | 5,302.90 | ||
| Restricted Funds | ||||
| Some of our funds derive from donations and legacies which have been | donated for | |||
| specifc purposes. A list of the purposes and the balance of | these funds | is given below. | ||
| Balance | 31 Dec | |||
| 2025 | (£) | |||
| Student Summer Excavation grants (location in Israel | 3,515.35 | |||
| unspecifed) | ||||
| Student Summer Excavation grants (location specifed) | 15,850.00 | |||
| Mike Sommer Legacy | 13,221.90 | |||
| 32,587.25 |
PROF. SARAH PEARCE
For and on behalf of the Trustees 21[st] March 2026