Pre-conference events take place Sunday, September 7, 2025 at the University of Haifa, Hecht Arts Center.
AIS Board Meeting and Visit to Haifa Municipality
Online meeting and Sunday, September 7, 2025 evening event at the Haifa municipality. By invitation only, for members of the Board of Directors of the Association for Israel Studies.
Graduate Student Workshop
Sunday, September 7, 2025. 11:30 - 17:30 plus evening event at the Haifa municipality. RSVPs required.
Chair: Amit Levy, University of Haifa, amitlevy87@gmail.com.
The workshop will include lunch and a:
In addition, all workshop participants are warmly invited to a celebratory buffet dinner (standing tables) at Haifa City Hall, hosted by the Mayor of Haifa and the AIS Board — a unique opportunity to meet and mingle with leading figures in the field of Israel Studies. The evening will include the opening of a new exhibition on Haifa and its role in the Israeli imagination, followed by an academic panel discussion.
Schedule
11:30–12:00 Registration
12:00–12:30 Welcome and Opening Conversation
12:30–13:15 Lunch + First Networking Session
13:15–14:30 Panel: Publishing in Israel Studies – A Conversation with Managing Editors
14:30–15:00 Coffee Break + Second Networking Session
15:00–17:00 Postdoctoral and Career Opportunities: Panel and Hands-On Session
17:30 Departure by Shuttle to Evening Event and Light Dinner at Haifa City Hall
The Soul of Haifa: Identity, Heritage and Urban Renewal
Public Event at Haifa City Hall, Hassan Shuqri St. 14, Haifa
Exhibition on The Soul of the City: Changing Images of Haifa in Historical Photo Books
Curator: Nir Ratzkovsky, Program in Cultural Studies, University of Haifa
Schedule
18:30 Reception and Light Dinner
19:00 Program
Chair: Yossi Ben-Artzi, Department of Israel Studies, University of Haifa
The Vision for Haifa and the Challenges of Its Implementation
Ariel Wurtzman, Architect and Outgoing City Engineer, Haifa Municipality
Urban Renewal in Haifa: Citywide Challenges and Opportunities
Irit Zaretsky-Harel, Department of Architecture, School of Design and Education, University of Haifa
Has Haifa’s Unique Architectural Heritage Been Preserved Amidst the Rush for Development?
Walid Karkabi, Architect and former Head of the Preservation Department, Haifa Municipality