Student Theses

Note: Students outside the Technion are listed at the end.  Click here for a list of my thesis students who have graduated since 1990, with links to research abstracts.

Postdocs:

  • Raphael Fischler, 1993-4. Lady Davis Post-doc.  Research topic:  Planning regulations and design. He later became a faculty member at McGill University, Montreal, Canada, in urban and regional planning.
  • Karel Martens, 2000-2002. Lady Davis Post-doc scholarship. Research topic: Changing views of governance and planning: Comparison of Israel and the Netherlands. He is currently a faculty member at Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands.
  • Nathan Maron, 2009-2011. Lady David Post-Doc Scholarship (extended in 2011 without remuneration) . In 2010 co-supervisor with Prof. Naomi Carmon. In 2011 sole supervisor. Topic: Conceptualization of affordable housing.
  • Elena Korotkova, 2014-2015.  Researching comparative housing and property rights in agricultural sector in East Europe; and coastline management issues in East Europe, especially illegal development.
  • Naama Teshcner, 2014-present. Collaborating in research on: 1)  Port-City relations under alternative regulatory and property regimes in various countries.  Part of the Mare Nostrum research project.   2) Renewable energy – legal-regulatory aspects of siting on land and buildings.

 

Completed master’s theses and doctoral dissertations:

(Master’s theses at Technion are full-scale research; they are written in Hebrew with English summaries, except where noted):

  1. Frenkel, Amnon. MSc. Thesis: Land use patterns in new town.1979.
  2. Harris, David. MSc. Thesis: Public involvement in the production of structure plans in Great Britain.1979.Co-supervisor with Moshe Hill as first supervisor.  (in English) (See under Refereed Papers).
  3. Benari, Nehama. MSc. Thesis: Land reparcellation as a tool in the implementation of plans.1980.
  4. Izhaki, Menahem. MSc. Thesis: Comparative analysis of local outline schemes in Israel.1981.
  5. Ma´or, Ya´acov. MSc. Thesis: integrating ecological considerations into urban outline plans.1982.
  6. Vranesky, Ariella. MSc. Thesis: Public participation and the Israeli Planning and Building Law.1985.With A. Churchman as co-supervisor. Received Mifal HaPaiis grant (See under Research Reports).
  7. Murray, Benjamin. MSc. Thesis: Exactions of land for public services: Case study of Haifa.1985.(in English).
  8. Hershkowitz, Hanna. MSc. Thesis: The Israel National Planning Council: Its structure, goals and functions.1985.
  9. Magen, Nava. MSc. Thesis: Statutory district plans in Israel: their goals, implementation and evaluation.1986.See under Research Reports.
  10. Sabo, Eli. MSc. Thesis: Toward the phasing out of project renewal: Considerations for evaluation.1987.Supervisor, with Moshe Hill as co-supervisor (until his death in 1986).
  11. Vitek, Miri. MSc. Thesis: “Land requirements for public services in urban neighborhoods: Development of a method for quantitative estimation”.1987.See under Books.
  12. Gil, Irit. MSc. Thesis: “The implementation of Israel’s land betterment tax.”.1990.(Won the Ben Shemesh third prize in land policy, Jan. 1990, a Faculty prize, and the Duchan prize in land law.).  See under Books.
  13. Rosenstein, Miriam. MSc. Thesis: “Implementation of Israel’s agricultural land preservation policy”.1990.(Won the Ben Shemesh first prize in land policy, Jan. 1991, plus a Faculty prize.). (See under Books).
  14. Gertel, Shulamit. MSc. Thesis: “Ethics for planners amidst political conflict”.1991.(Faculty prize.) (in English). (See under Books).
  15. Enden, Erela. MSc. Thesis: “Israel’s National land policy: Analysis of interest-group positions”.1991.
  16. Gerzon, Dorit. MSc. Thesis: “Effectiveness of planning and implementation of outline plans in Arab villages”.1992.
  17. Avishai, Semadar. MSc. Thesis: “Illegal construction in Israel’s Arab sector: Um El Fahem”. 1992.
  18. Michelle Sofer. MSc. Thesis: “The time factor in land use planning and controls: Theory, and its manifestation in planning law in Israel.”  Doctoral candidacy report. Thesis completed; in view of its exceptionally high level, the student was transferred directly to the doctoral program. See #23.
  19. Orli Naim. MSc. Thesis: “Claims for compensation under the Planning and Building Law.”.1992.(part of a financed research project where the student serves as research assistant; see among Research Reports).  Won Faculty of Architecture Graduate Thesis Prize. (See under Books).
  20. Nira Orni. MSc. Thesis: “The authority to expropriate land: A cross-national comparison”.1992.(final paper).   Won the Ben Shemesh Prize for Research on Land Policy, 1993 and a grant from the National Lottery (see under Books).
  21. Ariella Vranesky. Ph.D. “Applying conflict resolution methods to decisions under the Israel Planning and Building Law.”.Dec.1994.(During my sabbatical 1992-3 A. Churchman filled in). See under Research Reports.
  22. Relli Prengler-Rosmarin. MSc. Thesis: “Evaluation of the 1990 legislation for streamlining planning controls through an opinion survey of decision-makers and stakeholders”.Dec. 1994.
  23. Michelle Sofer. Ph.D. “The time factor in land use planning and controls: Theoretical Framework, and its manifestation in planning law and planning administration.”.Feb. 1995.  (During my sabbatical, Avraham Wachman filled in).
  24. Aviva Zubari. MSc. Thesis: “Agreements Between Developers and Planning Authorities”.1996.
  25. Avi Mosseri. Ph.D. “National strategic planning in Israel”.  I served as principal supervisor for most of the research period. In March 1996, after the student had received four annual extensions and was asking for a fifth, but had not yet submitted for my review any written outputs of his empirical research findings, I agreed to transfer him to Prof. Avraham Wachman, who had served as co-supervisor, and have had no further involvement with this student.  He received his degree in 1998.
  26. Nurit Corren. Ph.D. “Design Control and the Architecture Profession”.Exam, July 1997.  (In the Architecture graduate program).  (See under Books).
  27. Leerit Margalit. MSc. Thesis: “Developer exactions in Israel: Types, extent and impacts”.1997.(See under Books).
  28. Sarah Gazit-Weizman. MSc. Thesis: “Public information versus flexibility in planning: The problem of urban design-controls.”.1997.(an updated publication forthcoming, under Books).
  29. Hava Erlich. MSc. Thesis: “Similarities and Variations in the Form and Content of Statutory Detailed Urban Plans”.1998.
  30. Natti Lazarovitz. MSc. Thesis: “Municipal land ownership as an urban-policy tool: the international experience in Western and formerly socialist countries”.  1999.  Final Paper.
  31. Aviv Be’eri. MSc. Thesis: “Land Readjustment in the Arab Sector in Israel: Applicability of Conflict Resolution Methods”.1999.Additional supervisor, Dr. Ariella Vranesky principal supervisor.
  32. Ronit Sasson. MSc. Thesis: “The role of the inspector under the Israel Planning and Building Law”.Exam, August 2000.(Final Paper). Additional supervisor. Dr. Ariella Vranesky is the principal supervisor.
  33. Hadas Litvak-Cohen. MSc. Thesis: “The use of regulations about housing-unit sizes as a means of social exclusion in Israel”.  Examined 2001 (Final Paper).
  34. Iris Hann. MSc. Thesis: Land policy aspects of open space preservation tools.Examined September 2001.  Awarded With Distinction (distinctions made available starting 2002; Hann is the only graduate in 2002 among 31 to receive distinction).  In 2003 the thesis was awarded a prize by the Jewish National Fund Institute for the History of Land Policy.  Part of this research appeared as a book, Alterman-Hann 2004 (see under Books).
  35. Einat Gavrieli. MSc. Thesis: “Amendment 43 to the Israel Planning and Building Law: Assessment of the Attempt at Decentralization”.Thesis approved March 2002.Won a Mifal Ha’Pais (Israel Lottery) research award  (See under Books).
  36. Hedva Hevroni. MSc. Thesis: “Land Readjustment as a tool for obtaining land for public services.”.Thesis approved Aug. 2004.Will be awarded a Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning excellence prize.
  37. Tamy Stav. Ph.D. “The Language of Plans as Public Discourse”.2004.Won Guthwirth special excellence scholarship in 1999.  Won Faculty prize of excellence for the PhD. dissertation, June 2002.
  38. Lisa Tangy. Ph.D.: Illegal Development and Property Rights.Passed Candidacy Exam 2001.  (Self-Terminated 2004 without graduating).
  39. Constantinos Alkides. MSc. Thesis: “Cross-National Comparative Analysis of Local-Central Government Relations in Planning Systems: The case of Land Use Plans”.November 2004.
  40. Vered Salomon-Maman. MSc. Thesis: “Legal-Institutional Aspects of Historic Preservation in Israel: a comparative international perspective”.February 2006.(Won a Balaban Foundation research grant in 2004, and a Mif’al Ha’Paiis research grant oriented to local governance in 2005).
  41. Ravit Hananel. Ph.D. “Research area: The politics of land in Israel: Analysis of the decision making by the Israel Lands Council”.  January 2006.  Won best-dissertation award granted by the Israel Planners’ Association. Won faculty dissertation award.
  42. Doron Druckman. MSc. Thesis: “Identifying the “objections potential” of Local and Site Plans: A tool for architects and planning and building commissions”.  Completed Sept. 2007.(in the Architecture graduate program). Won a 2002 Mif’al Ha-Payis Municipal Applied Research Grant.Won Faculty Prize for excellent thesis.
  43. Tal Zafrir. MSc. Thesis: “Privatizing the obligation to compensate landowners for reduction of development rights due to plan amendments”  (Change from former topic – Applying Criteria of Environmental Justice in Legislation and Statutory Plans). Examined February 2007.
  44. Karmit Ohayon. MSc. Thesis: “Majority-Minority Relations in Local Governments in Israel: The Case of the Jezeriel Valley Local Council”.Completed August 2007.
  45. Shira Brand. MSc. Thesis: “Compensation Claims for Decline in Property Values Due to Plan Amendments (“Downzoning”) – the law and practice”.Completed Oct. 2007.
  46. Udi Carmel. MSc. Thesis: Environmental NGOs and their influence over time in Israel.Completed September 2009.  Final Paper approved after minor revisons following examination.
  47. Dafna Carmon.  Msc-. Ph.D.: Legal aspects of public participation and the right to a fair hearing in statutory planning processes: An international perspective. Graduated Summer 2008.  – Won a 2002 Mif’al Ha-Paiis Municipal Research Grant.  – Was invited to open the Technion campus-wide series of excelling graduate student on their lectures  – Won the Israel Planners’ Association Prize for the best PhD dissertation for 2008.  – Won the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning top prize for highest excellence for a PhD dissertation.
  48. Galia Birenbaum. MSc. Thesis: Master’s Final Paper. Utilization of underground space for urban development: property rights and policies.Final exam: July 2010.(principal supervisor, with Uri Shoshani).
  49. Sebastian Wallerstein. MSc. Thesis: Is there gentrification-led displacement of Palestinian Israeli citizens from Jaffa?  March 2011 (co supervisor with Dr. Emily Silverman).
  50. Nir Mualem. Ph.D.Conflicts over Preservation of the Built Heritage:  A Cross-National Comparative Analysis of the Decisions of Planning Tribunals. Final exam August 2012.
    • Won the Jacobs Technion Prize for high excellence in graduate studies.
    • Won a Faculty prize for excellence in his dissertation.
    • Won on a Princeton post-doc fellowship; also taught at the Public Policy School Sept. 2012 – Aug. 2013.
  51. Nira Orni. Ph.D. Area of research: Expropriation of land: An international comparative perspective.  Degree approved March 2014.
  52. Hava Erlich. Ph.D. Negotiations between developers and planning agencies and privatization trends:A cross-national comparison. Examined June 2014.
  53. Cygal Pellach M.Sc. Conflicts over Preservation of the Built Heritage in the State of Victoria, Australia. Includes a cross-national perspective. Examined December 2015.
    • Won the Jacobs Technion Prize for high excellence in graduate studies, 2013.

In Progress:

  1. Iris Frenkel-Cohen. Ph.D. Area of research. Planning law and the use of regulation for social exclusion.Passed candidacy exam February 2009. On leave to serve as legal advisor to the Knesset Committee on Internal Affairs and Environmental Protection.
  2. Bat-Sheva Ronen. Ph.D.: Area of research: Information and planning law – an international comparison (temporary title).  Passed the Candidacy Exam, February 2010.  Left studies due to family constraints, Oct. 2014.
  3. Michelle Oren. Ph.D. The right to housing:A cross-national comparative perspective. Passed the Candidacy Exam in June 2010.  With co-Supervisor: Professor Yaffa Zilbershatz, of the Bar Ilan University Law School.
  4. Michael Drori. Ph.D. Property Rights in Israel’s Rural Sector from a Cross National Perspective. Beginning March 2011.
  5. Dorit Garfunkel, M.Sc. (final paper). Multi-Owned High Rise Housing and Its Challenges for Property Law: Lessons from a Cross-National Analysis.  Transfer to direct-track Ph.D in 2014.
  6. Dorit Garfunkel, Ph.D Towers v. the City. Candidacy exam, Jan. 26 2015.
  7. Safira de La Sala, Ph.D Planning Law and Property Rights: Challenges for Climate Change Policies.
  8. Einat Mendelson, M.Sc. The Regulation of Outdoor Murals in Cities. Co-supervisor, with Dr. Nir Mualam.

 

Ph.D. supervision at other universities – completed and in progress:

  • Gabi Golan, Hebrew University, Geography Department.  Member of the Ph.D. Committee.  Main supervisor:  Prof. Arie Shachar.  Completed 2000.
  • Asaf Renzler, Law School, Hebrew University. “Building permits under the Israel Planning and Building Law”. Main supervisor in 2000; transferred to Dr Dafna Levinsohn-Zamir of Hebrew U Law School in 2001. Member of his Ph.D. Committee, as of December 2003. Completed 2009.
  • Esther Rosenblum.  International Law and Planning Law.  Co-Supervisor, with Dr. Yaffa Zilbershatz. Law School, Bar Ilan University. Commenced March 2003, submitted the dissertation for evaluation summer 2008. Pending committee assessment.
  • Johannes Nissen.  Transfer of Development Rights for Farmland Preservation – comparative law.  Faculty of Law, University of Antwerp.   Main supervisor:  Dr. Ester van Zimmeren.

 

Supervision of Final Papers in the non-thesis track:

  • Haran Yelin (2003), “In the wake of the High Court decision regarding rural land holdings: The case of the Carmel Foothills Regional Council”
  • Lana Haddad (2003), “The betterment tax and its application in Israel’s Arab sector”
  • Yael Zohar (2004), “In the wake of the High Court decision regarding rural land holdings: The impact on the Moshavim of the Sharon area”.
  • Tomer Gothelf (2005). “The law of regulatory takings in the USA and what Israelis can learn from it”
  • Tamar de la Zerda (2005).  “Maintenance obligations in high-rise residential condominiums:  Are there sustainable legal-economic tools available?
  • Elad Pinhas (2010). “The impacts of the High Court decision on the property rights of the Moshavim and Kibbutzim: A revisit after six years”.
  • Omer Ben-Arie (2010). “The Role of the Admissions Committees in the New Neighborhoods in the Kibbutzim”.
  • Erez Sarfaty (2010). “Transfer of Development Rights for Historic Preservation in Israel” .
  • Ronen Bar Lev (2011). “The Relationship Between the Betterment Tax, Developer Obligations and Nationally Owned Land”. In the Graduate Program in Real Estate Studies (MRE)
  • Maya Ashkenazi (2012).  Direct intervention by central government in local planning decisions:  Analysis of Israeli law.”  Graduate Program in Real Estate Studies (MRE).

 

Examiner of Ph.D. and M.Sc. dissertations at other universities:

  • Examiner of dissertations and proposals at Hebrew University Law School, Hebrew University Department of Geography, Tel Aviv University Department of Political Science, Tel Aviv University Department of Geography, and Ben Gurion University.
  • Examiner in comprehensive exams or dissertation defense of three students at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – 1981-82  (Roz Greenstein, Timothy Beatley and Bruce Stiftel).
  • Examiner of M.Sc. thesis in land use planning at the University of Wageningen, The Netherlands.  Nov. 2005.
  • Examiner, Ph.D, Law School, University of Toronto, On subdivision regulation, April 2006.Today an assistant professor at the Law School University of Alberta.
  • Examiner, Ph.D. defense (“Disputation”), Michael Kolocek, Dortmund University Urban Planning, May 18, 2015.

 

Examiner of Master’s theses and Ph.D. dissertations at Technion:
Served as Examiner in scores of thesis and dissertation committees at Technion – mostly at the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning, but also at the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management