Yair Paz
Director, Midreshet Yerushalayim, Israel

Education
2003: Ph.D. in Land of Israel Studies, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan

1992: M.A. in Jewish Studies, Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies, Jerusalem

Dissertation: Methods of Jewish Education for Facilitating the Absorption of New Immigrants from the Former Soviet Union

1992: Completed program in Jewish leadership, Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies

1991: M.A. in Geography, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Thesis: "Land Acquisition by Jews in Jerusalem, 1920-1932"

Supervisors: Prof. Shalom Reichman and Prof. Yehoshua Ben Aryeh

1986: B.A. in History and Geography, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

1985: Certified Tour Guide, Society for the Protection of Nature, Jerusalem

Publications
1988-2006: Twenty articles in Hebrew and English in various academic journals as well as M.A. theses and Ph.D. dissertation (complete list provided upon request)

List of Publications available upon request

Scholarships and Prizes
Fellowship for outstanding Ph.D. students by the President of Bar Ilan, 1999-2003
Kekst Prize for Research, Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies, 2001-2
JNF-Ben Shemesh Prize for studies on the Land of Israel, 1996
Greenstein Prize for outstanding M.A. thesis in the study of the Land of Israel, 1992
Yuvileer Prize for outstanding M.A. students, 1990

Research Grants

2006-8, The Use of the Yarkon River for Producing Electricity and Irrigation, awarded by the Israel Electric Company and the Yarkon River Authority

1991, 1996-7, Land Acquisition by Jews in Jerusalem, awarded by Yad Ben Zvi

Academic Conferences

1987-2007: Lectures delivered at 10 academic conferences on Israel Studies. Most recent lecture: "Zionist-British Competition for Symbolic Sites in Jerusalem during the British Mandate Period," Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies, May 15, 2007. Complete list available upon request

Work Experience
1995 and ongoing: Lecturer, academic advisor and head of the Department of Land of Israel Studies, Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies, Jerusalem. Courses include "An Introduction to Jerusalem Studies" and "Cultural Dilemmas in Israeli Geography." Complete list of courses available upon request.

1992 and ongoing: Educational Director, Midreshet Yerushalayim, Jerusalem, Israel

1988-1992: Researcher and coordinator of study on the history of Jerusalem, Yad Ben Zvi, Jerusalem

1985-1989: advisor for youth in distress, Ministry of Social Services

1985-1988: Tour guide, Yad Ben Zvi, Jerusalem

1981-1984: Guide and coordinator, Sha'ar HaGai Field School

Personal Details
Date and place of birth: December 2, 1956, Kibbutz Sa'ad, Israel