Management and Staff
Eli Paley
Chairman

Eli Paley, an alumnus of the Chevron Yeshiva, is owner of Mishpacha Media Group and publisher of the Mishpacha weekly magazine for the haredi and Dati sectors, in Israel and abroad, in Hebrew and English. He is a businessman and social activist, and is chairman of the Paley Family Foundation which supports and promotes Torah centers and social initiatives in the haredi community. He is a member of the Jewish Funders Network and is active in several philanthropic organizations.

Dr. Shai Stern
Deputy Chairman

An associate law professor at the Bar Ilan University Law School and serves as the Deputy Chairman of the Haredi Institute for Public Affairs. His research interests focus on property law, private law theories, and the legal construction of space. investigates the political, legal, and spatial aspects of the relationship between the liberal state and illiberal (religious) communities.
He has published over 30 papers in leading academic journals in law, sociology, and planning in Israel and abroad. He serves as a board member in International academic associations and as a chief editor of the Bar Ilan Law Review.

Udi Ben-Dror
CEO

B.A & M.A in economy and business from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Functioned as a VP Finance and Business Development and later as an Acting CEO in the Jerusalem Development Authority (JDA). Managed many groundbreaking projects in the fields of Kashrut and Haredi employment in Jerusalem. Also served as a lecturer at the School of Public Policy of the Hebrew University, a budget and regulation manager at Bezeq International, and as a coordinator in the budget division at the Ministry of Finance.

Dr. Eitan Regev
VP Data & Research

Ph.D in economics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and regarded as a leading expert in research of the Haredi economy in Israel. serves as a lecturer for macroeconomics in the Hebrew University.
served as a research fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute and as a senior researcher at the Taub Center. Worked as an economist in several government offices, including the Ministry of Health’s budget division. Conducted the quantitative evaluation research for the Five-year plan for the Council of Higher Education to integrate Haredim in Academic Studies.

In the institute, researches in a variety of fields, including the Haredi economy, labor productivity, optimal taxation, vocational training, higher education, and the Israeli health system.

Hila Aftergut
Managing Director

Hila holds a BA in economics and management from the Open University. She is former deputy director of Mishpacha Magazine, English edition. She is a member of the Jewish Funders Network and the manager of the Paley Family Foundation which supports and promotes Torah institutions and social initiatives in the haredi community.

Yehuda Nachshoni
Managing Director

Yehuda Nachshoni is CEO of Mishpacha Media Group and Mishpacha weekly magazine. He is a member of the presidium of the Israel Press Council and a member of the Tel Aviv Journalists Association.

Lea Dambeck
Office Manager

Teaching school graduate, accomplished and certified in the education field. Experienced in project coordination related to Kiruv and outreach of Jewish identity in Israel and Diaspora.

Dr. Shlomit Shahino-Kesler
Senior Researcher

PhD in Political Science, 20 years of experience in research and policy. At the Haredi Institute for Public Affairs, previously served as a senior researcher, chief researcher, and VP of Policy. Today she serves as a consultant, and an independent researcher for the ultra-orthodox society.


Haredi Fellows Division
Meir Hirshman
Haredi Fellow - Municipal & Media

Graduate of Ponovezh Yeshiva.
Served as Deputy CEO of Beitar Municipality, publisher of Bakehillah newspaper, and senior assistant to Deputy Welfare Minister the late Rabbi Avraham Ravitz.
Currently Meir serves as chief editor and comptroller of a major Torah literature project in Machon Yerushalayim and as a guest commentator on Haredi radio stations on political and social issues.

Bentzi Rakow
Haredi Fellow - Housing

Graduated Beth Medrash Elyon of Bnei Brak and Yeshivat Mir in Jerusalem. M.A. in public policy and city planning from the Urban Studies Institute at Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Experienced and knowledgeable in the area of engineering and construction as well as local authorities, garnered from many years' involvement in the social and public sphere. Owner and CEO of Avnei Shalem, an engineering and construction management firm.
In the institute, researches strategies in engineering, housing and urban planning in the Haredi community.

Tamar Paley
Senior Fellow - Health

M.A in business administration and specializes in health systems and pharma, B.A in Health Systems and Tourism from Hadassah College.
Served for 20 years in a variety of positions in the health system. Currently functions as the director of community relations at Hadassah Medical Centers and as a member of a task force advising the police on the Haredi sector.
Lecturer in the medical secretarial course at the College of Management, graduate of the family life education course, bridal instructor and consultant.

Israel Tick
Haredi Fellow - Education

Yisrael Tick is an alumnus of Yeshivat Nachalat David, and holds a BA in Education. He has served as head of the education division of the Beitar Illit Municipality for some fifteen years. Previously he served as chairman of the public committee of the Ministry of Education and the Jerusalem Municipality to assess the city’s special education system. He has extensive experience in consulting and developing educational systems in cities and local authorities as well as contending with youth on the fringe and their placement in suitable educational frameworks.


Research and Data Division
Elia Yakin
Data Scientist

M.A in economics in the joint program of the Hebrew University and Tel Aviv University. Works as a researcher at the Pareto Group and previously worked in the Chief Economist's Division at the Ministry of Finance.
At the institute, Elia develops the data infrastructure and the statistical algorithms to identify the Haredi society in its nuances.

Adam Nishri
Data Scientist

M.A in statistics from the Hebrew University.
Works at the institute ad a part of the data team.


Policy Planning Division
Yehudit Miletzky
Senior Researcher - Employment

Doctoral student in the sociology department of the Hebrew university of Jerusalem. M.A in social-organizational psychology from the Hebrew university of Jerusalem. Specializes in education and employment in the Haredi community, from gender-based, community-based and geographical perspectives. In the institute, leads field work, data and sociological research-based studies and strategical plans for the betterment of education and employment in the Haredi sector. Additionally, acts as a research partner studies regarding digitation, schooling and housing.
Loves to learn and gain knowledge from the people around her.

Dov Goldberg
Researcher

Dov has finished with distinction his triple disciplinary BA in Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology and his MA in Anthropology and Sociology from Bar Ilan University.
Under this capacity he has engaged as research assistant in the department.
At the institute, He focuses on popular psychology in the Haredi society.

Shani Susman-Efrati
Research Assistant

Master's student in business and big data in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; B.A in economy and "Amirim" excellence program from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Participated in the "Social Economists" program, and lead groups as a part of "Gesher".
In the institute, researches in the fields of employment, housing and welfare. Takes a special interest in the areas where quantitative and qualitative research meet.


Strategy and PR
Yaakov Izak
Head of Strategy and PR Department

Graduate of Karlin Yeshiva, and studied communications in Tel-Aviv college. Works in the fields of strategy, PR and mass communication. Specializes and accomplished in working with the Heredi sector. Worked in the leading advertising agencies of the Haredi market for over a decade.
Acted as a media consultant and spokesperson for firms, initiatives, Knesset members and ministers, among of which are Nir Barkat during his tenure as the mayor of Jerusalem, and Yaakov Litzman for 13 years. Lead also many campaigns for municipal and Knesset elections.

Shlomi Netzer
Media Coordinator

B.A in communications and history from the open university.
Worked as a news editor on the internet team in N12 news, and as a content writer in the Knesset channel.
Has extensive experience working with media, editing and writing content and internet marketing.