09:00 – 10:45 – Innovations in the Study of the Site and Caves of Qumran
Chair: Prof. Yonatan Adler (Ariel University)

• Prof. Marcello Fidanzio (Università della Svizzera Italiana): How and Why the Dead Sea Scrolls were Deposited in the Natural Caves Near Qumran?
• Prof. Dennis Mizzi (University of Malta): Dating the Scroll Deposits in the Qumran Caves: Possibilities and Limitations
• Chaim Cohen (Staff Officer of Archaeology), Hagay Hamer, Oriya Amichay, Amir Ganor and Dr. Eitan Klein (Israel Antiquities Authority): Life in the Qumran Caves – Preliminary Results from the Renewed Survey
• Dr. Oren Gutfeld (Hebrew University of Jerusalem): On Tunnels and Caves – New Insights from the Hebrew University Excavations at the Cliffs of Qumran
  
  

11:15 – 13:00 – Park Canada Sites
Chair: Prof. Alexander Fantalkin (Tel Aviv University)

• Prof. Oren Tal (Tel Aviv University): Profs. Gichon and Fischer’s Excavations at Kh. el-‘Aqd – Hellenistic and Roman Stronghold in Western Judea – New Insights as Part of the Publication of the Final Report
• Evgeny Aharonovich (Staff Officer of Archaeology), Michal Haber (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) and Hananya Hizmi (Staff Officer of Archaeology): Kh. el-‘Aqd – The Renewed Excavations by the Staff Officer of Archaeology – The Story of a Fortified Settlement
• Barnea Levi Selavan (Tel Aviv University): Emmaus in Jewish and External Historical Sources
• Dr. Arleta Kowalewska, Prof. Oren Tal and Prof. Alexander Fantalkin (Tel Aviv University): Prof. Gichon’s Excavations at the Roman Bathhouse at Emmaus – New Insights as Part of the Preparation for the Publication of the Final Report and the Plans for the Renewed Excavations 
  
  

13:00 – 14:00 – Lunch Break

14:00 – 15:40 – Hasmonean Fortresses Between the Mountain and the Desert
Chair: Dr. Orit Peleg-Barkat (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

• Prof. Esther Eshel (Bar-Ilan University), Prof. Haggai Misgav (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) and Dr. Doron Sar-Avi (Hertzog College): Inscriptions in the Desert Fortresses of Judea from the Second Temple Period
• Michal Haber and Dr. Oren Gutfeld (Hebrew University of Jerusalem): In the Wilderness of Judah – Preliminary Results from the Hyrcania Fortress Excavation Project
• Eitan Mir (Staff Officer of Archaeology and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev):  Pesach Bar-Adon’s Excavations at Kh. Mazin -Shiphouse and Tower in the late Hellenistic and Early Roman Periods
• Dr. Dvir Raviv (Bar-Ilan University): New Insights in the Study of Hasmonean-Herodian Fortresses in Judea and Samaria

16:10 – 17:50 – Community, Education and Preservation of Heritage Assets
Chair: Netanel Mazeh (Director at the Ministry of Heritage)

• Dr. Avner Hilman (Staff Officer of Archaeology): Conservation of Heritage Sites in Judea and Samaria
• Harel Gutfreund-Nahum (Ariel University): “Excavations and Communities” – Volunteering in Archaeological Excavations in Judea and Samaria
• Reut Livyatan Ben-Arie (Staff Officer of Archaeology): Excavations in Memory of Major Shilo Har-Even at Tel Shiloh
• Tal Orenstein and Evgeny Aharonovich (Staff Officer of Archaeology): Excavations in Memory of Major Shilo Har-Even at Tel Shiloh

18:20 – 20:30 – Festive Concluding Session:
Ethical Issues in the World of Archaeology in Judea and Samaria

Guest Lecture:
Dr. Tina L. Greenfield (University of Winnipeg): As the Cradle Crumbles: Islamic State, the Destruction of Archaeological sites, and Saving Cultural Heritage in Iraq and Syria

Concluding Lecture:
Binyamin Har-Even (Staff Officer of Archaeology): Judea and Samaria – A Look at the Present and Thoughts for the Future

Professional Panel with the Participation of:

• Prof. Yonatan Adler (Ariel University)
• Prof. Adi Erlich (University of Haifa)
• Dr. Liora Kolska-Horwitz (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
• Prof. Aren Maeir (Bar-Ilan University)